Snowflakes
by angelwings1
Summary: Some people spend their lives believing they were destined for something special. To a handful of girls, it wasn't a childhood fantasy. It was something real and frightening. For one in particular, destiny was a death sentence.[AU] AmiZoi
1. Goddesses

_Disclaimer: I do not own Saliormoon. _

_A/N: This is a very short series. This was running around in my head forever. Sooo for the last five months I have been playing with this chapter. Whether I continue it depends on the reviews._

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_**Snowflakes**_

_**By angelwings1**_

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**_Chapter 1: Goddesses_**

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****

Sighing softly, she shifted her chin into her soft palm and relished the feel of the ice coffee sliding down her throat. Something silly tickled her heart and she giggled lightly as she wiggly her toes in her heavy boots. Maybe it was an odd favorite during winter, but she couldn't help by love the feel of ice hitting her stomach when she wrapped under several layers of warm clothes. Her aqua blue eyes shimmered when they saw the whiteness floating down outside the window. Her index fingers tapped twice on the pout of rosy lips. Yep, cold weather was definitely preferred.

How could she not love the cold? The white landscape, ice skating, wrapped in twenty blankets as you sat on the porch swing, the sound of her shoes crunching in the snowdrifts… Winter always brought warmth to her heart that her quilts could never offer. It was more than a childish romance. It was a familiarity she held with the weather.

The loud, irritably noise from her straw immediately caught her attention to her empty plastic cup. She was tempted to order a second, but she knew it wasn't wise. Technically, her tight wallet couldn't afford the first one, but she had scrapped up some loose change in the couch. She easily guessed the money had been lost by one of her scatterbrained roommates, but as apartment law went, the couch was no woman's territory. Anything found between the purple cushions was up for grabs.

The law kept several of them poor, but her very happy. She could almost time when she would go out for coffee by Serena's work schedule. The girl always threw her apron on the couch when she got home from the restaurant. She wasn't the best server, but she had knack with people. Her innocent smile and carefree nature won over any unhappy customer, which was a much needed quality due to her clumsy nature. She had once witness the girl miraculously pull a laugh out of a man covered in fettuccine pasta.

Her other roommates had similar dramas for personalities. Rei had a temper that went beyond tamable and normally sparked whenever Serena was in full-airhead mode. Lita, the muscle and closest to tom boy of their circle, could kick box like the champs and bake like the TV chiefs. The fifth woman was Mina, their matchmaker and social leader. She was the queen of romance and had every novel and dvd imaginable to prove it.

Stacking up her biology notes on top of the books, the short hair woman signaled her departure. Tugging on her dark wool coat and wrapping on her scarf, she hesitated to grab her snow cap. Her gloved covered hands reluctantly grasped the summer blue item and pulled it snuggly over her dark crown. Catching sight of her reflection in the coffee shop window, Ami cringed. She couldn't deny it was cute, but the mouse ears poking off the top of her head definitely clashed with the professional look she was wearing below her glasses. Fuming inwardly, she hastily slung her one strap backpack over her shoulder and made for door, throwing away her empty coffee container as she stepped out into late January air.

Her previous frustration towards her hat evaporated as she strode down the icy sidewalk. She inhaled the crisp air and sighed loudly. She loved it when it was so cold your lungs hurt to breath. Smiling merrily, she passed up her usually bus stop and began the fourteen block journey home. She had no engagements and she needed the exercise after those chocolate chip cookies she had at shop.

Her knee high boots concealed beneath her jeans clicked loudly on the sidewalk almost in a sing sound rhythm. It was a delicious afternoon she decided and couldn't help, but hum a song whose title escaped her memory. She had already completed her homework for the upcoming week and had finished a good two hours of studying for her Monday quiz. Classes were over for the day and she had finally reached a Saturday where she was verbally threatened to keep her dark blue head out of the hospital. How was she supposed to realize she had worked over forty hours the past week plus her regular sixteen at the university?

Anyways, that left Friday night and all of Saturday open to her discretion. The girls had already claimed tonight as their special night. It was a rare occasion for all five of them to get together. Saturday, she would leave under the decision of her random streak—in other words, deciding which of her medical books to curl up on the window seat with. Her grin stretched wider at the pleasant thought.

Sadly, her happy demeanor plummeted as she heard distinct set of footfalls behind her. Ami might have had one of the brightest minds in the world, but she was defenseless to her spurts of paranoia. Her last few years in college had taught her to be wary and on her guard twenty-four-seven.

Keeping her stride casual, she carefully began to analyze the mess she had just walked in. The set of feet was heavy, male most likely. She had passed three bus stops so she guessed—more liked hoped—he was walking to a nearby destination. There were dozen of stores on the busy street for the man turn into, but when Ami turned off the main street and he still followed, her stomach dropped to her toes.

Her free hand curled and uncurled at her side. The air began to pop in her ears, like firecrackers, and ice filled her lungs. _'Sh…keep calm.'_

A map of the surrounding street hastily filtered into brain as she began to count her options. About two streets ahead there would be a network of back alleys. Normally, they would be filled with people taking shortcuts for the shops' backdoors, but with the weather, being as cold as it had for the last week, it was likely to be void of even the homeless.

She hated dealing with muggers. All they saw when they looked at her was a shy girl. She was petite, weighed down by books, and had a childish hat that screamed "easy catch." In such a large city, she had had her share of men following her, especially with the social life she lived. Usually when she was around the girls and got a follower, Lita would hungrily take the opportunity to get in her daily exercise, but if she was alone, like today, she'd play out her one winning strategy.

Her steps quickened as she turned into the alley and headed for her regular secluded portion in the network. It would take her exactly two minutes and thirteen seconds to get to the spot. The footsteps faltered in mid-step and hastily sped up. Her brow pinched together. _'Forget it.'_

Spinning on her heels, she faced her stalker. Her heart was already pounding in her ears as she prepared to slip into the best intimidating, defensive stance she could muster while clutching her books in one arm. Any chance of her appearing threatening withered from her intense glare once the face of her opponent sunk in to her rapidly failing brain.

She blinked repeatedly as she was overcome with double vision. Both men had long wavy blonde hair and had eyes the color of Ireland's greenest grass. In her left eye, she saw a man in a long gray uniform that button high at his left shoulder. If she concentrated hard enough she could see the green trim. In her other eye, she saw the man's double in a heavy leather jacket and scarlet pullover. He's hair was pulled into a loose ponytail versus the military version who wore his down and free. She grimaced as the double-vision slammed together and left the man in leather.

He was staring at her cautiously, hands hidden in his dark jacket. She carefully gauged the distance between them and shifted her weight to her back heel.

"What do you want?" she asked in her most intimidating voice. She prayed her mouse cap didn't cloud the man's judgment. If he touched her, he would learn fast that she was Hell on heels.

"Ami Mizuno?" the blonde asked huskily.

Her gaze sharpened dangerously behind her black rim glasses, "How do you know my name?"

His eyes deepened to a darker shade of green as his chapped lips titled, "I always know your name."

Whenever her instincts screamed out a warning, Ami was one to always trust her feelings. '_It's definitely time for an exit._'

"What do you want with me?" she asked, discreetly sliding her free hand further behind her and out of the stranger's view.

"Look at me, Ami," he commanded, taking a heavy step forward. The woman shuffled backwards and he froze, his back foot partly risen off the ground. He waited for her to stop before shifted his weight back on evenly. He exhaled deeply, his breath streaming out into white puffs between them. "You know who I am."

She scowled at his tone. The way he gave her no room for argument made her temper flare. He couldn't think she was that stupid. "I've never met you."

The veins in her open hand throbbed powerfully. Slowly, she wiggled her gloved fingers and played with the cold current of air. Her eyes darted to the ground and measured the distance between several patches of slick ice and his dirty sneakers. The nearest one was two yards away. Pretending to wet her lips, Ami sampled the air to gauge the temperature.

Her stomach twisted when the man's eyes heatedly followed the _innocent_ movement. Coughed lightly, he returned his focus to her face. "Look at me carefully, Ami."

"I am," she replied curtly, her heart beginning to race in her ears. "I've never met you."

Ami breathed slowly, counting the beats between each breath. The air was growing tight around her. Gradually, her body began to stretch out and merge with the world around her. She could count the snowflakes and follow the path of water in the sewers. She was in the air, on the ground, in the pipes… Ice crackled in her ears as the moist air pressed against the pavement and cold fingers crawled over the asphalt.

The blonde mugger reached for her, his face somber. "Please, just concentrate—"

His words were cut short as his shoes flew out from under him. His blonde hit the ground hard and stars danced in his vision. Groaning a curse, the man pressed his elbow to the pavement and lifted halfway off the ground. Touching his head lightly, he looked up to see the young woman racing around the nearest corner and disappearing from sight. He glared down at the patch of ice under his feet, wondering how he had missed it before.

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..

By the time she had reached the little brick house's front yard, her heart rate had slowed back to normal and her strides had shortened. Her attitude was shaken, but she made sure to paint a smile on her face as she walked up the cobblestone to the porch. Ami didn't want to spend her free night worrying over her weird encounter. A puzzle wasn't easy to toss aside, but the anxious desire for her girlfriends overthrew the mystery of the blonde stranger. _'I'll think about it tomorrow.'_

Reaching the front door, the young woman went for the scuffed doorknob. Her brow wrinkled when she heard a cheery, muffled voice sing from her backpack. _"I shall call you 'Squishy' and you shall be my 'Squishy'. Come here little 'Squishy'! Come here little 'Squishy'!"_

Ami momentarily forgot about the door as she frantically unzipped the top pocket of her bag and dove in a glove hand. After a few seconds of rummaging through the loose contents, she triumphantly yanked out her neon blue cell phone. She would have to personally thank Serena later for changing her ring tone _again_. Flipping the phone open and cutting off the sugary voice, Ami reach once more for the door knob.

"Hello?" she greeted as she turned the handle.

"Ami?" a high voice, she immediately recognized as Serena, replied. "Where are you?"

Stepping into the warm hallway, the woman answered innocently, "Inside."

There was a lapse of silence followed by the same voice calling from a deeper region of the house. "You're home?"

"Just got in," Ami yelled, closing her phone and ending the call. As she hung her coat and backpack onto two of the empty wall hooks, she wasn't surprise to hear a small exclamation of shock.

"Did you just hang up on me?"

"What is it, Serena?" Ami giggled, following the direction of the voice down the hall. Coming into the open living room and finding it empty, the woman frowned. "Serena?"

"In here!" a new voice squealed from the kitchen. "We need your expertise!"

Ami's eyebrow jumped. She wondered what trouble the twins had cooked up this time. After neatly stacking her books on the red oak coffee table and dropping her backpack on the floor against the nearest table leg, the girl strode towards the expected disaster.

"Exactly what expertise are you referring to?" she playfully inquired as she rounded the corner. She surprised to find the kitchen clean of mayhem, sporting only a few dirty dishes next to sink. She thought she would have found flour or cookies covering the walls or possibly the oven on fire. Mina and Serena didn't have the best track record for kitchen experiences. Even her advanced mind couldn't explain how the two filled the room with five feet of wheat rice. Ami doubled checked for anything out of place, but eventually returned her eyes to the colorful pair kneeling beneath the kitchen sink. She couldn't hold back the curious smile. "What did you do now?"

Mina rolled her eyes and rearranged her bright orange bathrobe as she stood. "We didn't do anything. The pipes are frozen."

Ami's eyebrow lowered accusingly, "So when you say you didn't do anything, you aren't kidding."

Serena peeked out from the cupboard, her favorite pink bunny ears snowcap smiling on her golden crown. She must have just walked in as well.

"What?" she asked, blue eyes blinking absently.

Ami exhaled loudly, "I warned you yesterday that the temperature would drop last night. Before I left for my night class, I said to wrap the exposed pipes outside with that installation in the shed. That's why the previous owners kept it."

Mina and Serena glanced at each other, clearly having forgotten the warning. Sheepishly, they turned on the young doctor to be and pouted. Serena tugged on one of her rabbit ears, the image of a small of child. "Could you please fix them, Ami? We both wanted to take showers before we go out tonight."

Normally, Ami would have easily refused and declared it their punishment for ignoring her except she also wanted a shower. Exhaling loudly and giving their grinning faces a pointed look, she strode towards the sink. "You are buying me a drink or a dessert or something tonight."

"Yes, Ami!" the blonde pair replied simultaneously, the voices blending perfectly together. She momentarily glanced at the duo. Maybe she should try checking their family trees again. They were too similar to be unrelated.

"We were going to call Rei," Mina cheerfully commented as she gave the other woman room. "But we were afraid she would melt the pipes."

"Probably." Ami mumbled, absorbed in the dull sound of the nonexistent flow. Her brow pinched together as she sought out the problem. "Hmm. The blockage is several meters down the pipe."

Yanking off her gloves, the blue haired woman eyed the stainless steel faucet. There were several inches of ice clogging the pipes. They were lucky she had gotten home when she did. Another few hours and the pipes would have burst. Her bottom lip slipped out into a small pout as she carefully the tapped the faucet. Twice. Three pairs of eyes widened when the silver spout rattled. The pipes clang loudly beneath the sink seconds before water shot out like a fire hose. Cold water rapidly spilled over the rim of the sink and across the counter before anyone could properly react.

"Crap!"

"Get a towel!"

The spray hit the wall of the sink at such a powerful angel that the water bounced off the rim and fanned across the length of the entire kitchen, dosing the squealing girls.

Mina frantically grabbed a nearby frying pan to shield herself. "Ami, we said we wanted showers, but we were hoping they would be hot and in the bathroom!"

"Ami, turn it off!" Serena squealed as she accidentally unrolled the entire length of paper towels and vainly attempted to wipe up the excess water. Unfortunately, she had lost her grip and the roll flew through the air with a long tail trailing. Mina screeched as the sailing projectile jumped into her face and she swung her pan on reflex. Ami was lucky she ducked in time to miss the dangerous swing. It was quickly turning into a wild scramble of limbs, tangle paper, and a growing indoor ocean. Gathering her wits, Ami glared at the pipes in mute fury. "I'm—"

The words faded on her tongue as her heels abruptly sought to enjoy the make-shift slip-and-slid linoleum floor. Maybe if she had been wearing sneakers, she wouldn't have lost her footing (the consequences of heels), but she was very pleased to have the opportunity to include her friends in her dilemma. As she grabbed their unsuspecting forearms, Ami laughed wickedly. If she had to go down, she was taking them with her.

"AMI!" the twins screeched as they were yanked to the floor without warning.

Water splashed loudly in unison with their groans as they hit the hard linoleum floor. By this point, the puddle had stretched across half the kitchen and was threatening to soak the hallway's carpet. Ami burst out laughing as she realized just how ridiculous they probably looked. She didn't even follow the twins' example of picking themselves off the floor and remained on her back, allowing the icy water to soak up into her sweater vest. The heel of Serena's hand slipped in the puddle and she heavily landed on the nurse's chest, changing the girl's laugh into a groan.

Being on the top of the pile, Mina was the first to get back to her feet. Unfortunately, her bathrobe had been caught in the fall between Serena's thigh and Ami's abdomen. The blonde fought frantically to retrieve her modesty, but her tugs ironically yanked her robe lower on her shoulders. She began to squeal as she realized her compromising attire was in full view to anyone walking by their large kitchen window.

Serena had caught on to her other friend's giggles. She was too busy laughing hysterically to notice Mina's pleas for her bathrobe. After all, they were all three soaked through to the bone. There was no point in trying to escape the water anymore so why not laugh?

Ami smiled lightly when she felt the vibration traveled through Serena's stomach. It was these random moments that she loved about her roommates. Even with the heavy stress of work and school, they could always find a way to laugh in the worst of circumstances.

Unfortunately, her reminiscing was short lived as the overhead kitchen light waned. As the bulb flickered, the laughter faded. The girls stared nervously up at the ceiling.

"Lita's home," Mina commented lightly.

Two seconds later, the microwave sparked to life. Eyes snapped to the small black box as it loudly began to heat up. Next, the radio on their small dining table turned on and began to catch three different stations in one feed. One by one appliance after appliance turned on and began to angrily shout in their ears. When the bulb in the nearby hallway burst, the three girls became rigid.

"She's not in a good mood," Serena whimpered.

"Probably pissed," Mina added softly. Ami hastily began to shove her blonde roommate.

"Hey!" Serena cried as she tumbled further into the puddle.

"We're standing in water!" the intern exclaimed, scrambling to get up and back on her heels. When the two other girls blinked in confusion, Ami added loudly, "Water and electricity don't mix!"

The duo fearfully glanced towards each other before jumping to their feet. Ami went to reach for a hand towel hanging on the oven's door handle. When she heard the heavy steps hitting the front porch, she rethought her strategy and grabbed the girl's wrists. "Get out!"

Screeching, the three flew through the kitchen archway into the carpet covered living room. They were still wet, but at least they were out of the puddle. From the ache in her forearms, Ami guessed she had gained some evident carpet burns. Course, she would rather that then electrocution.

The front door opened and the television switched to the weather channel. Ironically, she noticed the man in his slick business suit was waving a hand over their area of state and commenting on an electrical storm. She highly doubted Lita was responsible for such a powerful display. The thought was cut off when the bulb in the TV burst. If it weren't for the sound of boot stomping down the hall, Amy would have grumbled about how many bulbs they would have to replace later. She prayed her computer wouldn't kick-on and fry.

The three girls on the floor snapped their faces upwards just as a tall brunette woman in an evergreen trench coat appeared in the living room. Her small, usually smiling, lips were twisted in one of their more violent poises as she threw a pale satchel onto the nearby couch. The bag had so much velocity that it ended up rolling across the entire length of the couch and propping up against the furthest armrest. On the visible side of the bag there was a cartoon sunflower with elegant pink letters that spelled out, "Breathe in the smell of sunshine." The beautiful woman grumbled something intangible and any light bulb not yet broken flickered. She didn't even notice.

Taking a moment to swallow beforehand, the young nurse carefully made herself known to the unaware woman, "Err… Lita, if you will calm down I let you have the last slice of cheesecake in the fridge."

Green eyes snapped downwards and widened when saw three of her roommates piled on top of each other on the floor. Almost immediately, the flickering lights steadied and the appliances switched back off. The three girls sprawled on the floor sighed in unison.

"What are you doing?" Lita questioned slowly, the tension in her face unwinding. Her eyes darted between faces in complete confusion. "And why are you all wet?"

Still pinned beneath Mina and Serena, Ami grudgingly propped her chin in her palm and raised her other hand. "It was me."

A smaller scowl in comparison to moments before appeared back on the woman's face. "Huh? Ami, you're usually better at control then all of us. It's not like you to slack off."

Ami raised one of her eyebrows before pointedly replying, "I'm not the one who just blew a dozen bulbs in the house."

Serena snickered softly as Lita's face swiveled around in disbelief. She bit down her lower lip guilty when she saw the small tendrils of smoke curling out from behind the television.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I'll fix it."

"It's okay," Ami shrugged while the girls began to pick themselves off the floor. After she had regained her soggy composure and stood up, Ami studied her brunette roommate. "What happened that got you sparking?"

Lita rolled her eyes, "Bad day in class. Professor called me out in a discussion and declared, in short, I to be inferior because I was a woman."

"Woah!" Mina exclaimed, her own eyes gaining similar fiery. "What year did the guy walk into today? 1950?"

"More so did he forget how you don't tolerate that from guys?" Serena jumped in. "I mean, you've been kicked out of one your high school because a guy believed you couldn't win a fist fight."

"I know!" Lita exclaimed loudly. "I was livid. He's lucky I didn't want to kick out of the university, else I think I might be in the back of a police car. Or worse the entire computer lab would have been fried."

Ami frowned, "How did you manage to keep from blowing out the building's circuit breakers?"

"Some boy defended me," the brunette tossed back her ponytail before dropping heavily onto the couch. Sinking backwards, she pouted. "A stupid boy had to defend me."

To the other girls it was apparent that Lita had an admirer, but they knew the type of girl who dreamed about a knight in shining armor. She was about hard feminism and being able to hold her ground. She didn't mind chivalry in the romantic world of dating, but when it came to the battlefield, she was infuriated to be thought of as glass. The boy who had probably been trying to gain her attention had earned it in the worst way. Lita would probably go head to head with him at the next class. Ami was glad they were all going out tonight, else Lita might fester in her thoughts of revenge and break any remaining bulbs in the house.

Yep, the life of a goddess wasn't as easy as everyone might think it be.


	2. Brush of Sheol

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had a run in with major writer's block.**_

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_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

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_Chapter 2: Brush of Sheol_

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Ami sighed heavily as she leaned back against the bathroom door. She could distinctly hear the girls scrambling to get ready for their night outing. She winced when she heard Serena beg Raye, the newly arrived roommate, for a pair of heels. It was quite possible that Sweden heard the blonde woman's screech.

Pressing the back of her head against the smooth wood, the young nurse realized her exhaustion had finally hit. School work, hospital shifts, and two displays of water manipulation in three hours radius was draining out all of her energy. She was almost tempted to tell the others that she was staying home, but that excuse would never fly, especially with Serena. The blonde girl had a hard enough time letting the intern get away with studying instead of hanging out. Serena would absolutely refuse to let her get away with bailing just because she was a little sleepy.

Reluctantly, Ami padded over to the bathtub. After adding some flower scented bath minerals to the hot water filling the tub, the nurse pulled off her robe. When she looked in the mirror, she notice distinct dark circles under her eyes. Maybe she could convince them that she needed to leave early tonight. Surely, they could see the exhaustion written in her usually peppy face. Hopefully, they wouldn't suggest a simple cup of coffee to smooth out the weariness. She had no hope of survival, otherwise.

Quickly slipping into the bath, the woman settled into a comfortable, reclined position. Ami smiled as the hot water coaxed her muscles to unwind. She definitely needed a few minutes of relaxation to get her prepared to party with the girls. Besides she wouldn't be terribly late in getting ready by a few minutes. Her moment of paradise was quickly ruined, however, when she heard a group of high pitched cries combined with glass shattering.

"Serena, that was the last case of light bulbs!"

"Whoops!" the usual melodic giggle.

"What did you do now, meatball head—"

Scowling, Ami hastily ducked her head under the surface of the water and cut off the sound of fighting downstairs. If she was lucky, the girls wouldn't be in bad sorts before the left house or else the night was going to be spent playing referee. That was something Ami wasn't up for. If they fought through the first hours out, then she would leave them. Not that she didn't want to hang out with her girlfriends, it would just take all of her energy not to kill them.

The young nurse decided to ignore the thoughts of her roommates and focused on the flow of water in the pipes. She always relaxed better when she was listening to the flow of water. Within a few minutes, she began to create her own subtle current in the bath. She reveled in the dancing flow, letting her fingers play along the string of currents like she would a row of piano keys. Perhaps, it was better described like playing a harp. Oh, how she adored the sensation of creating her own dance of water. It made her blood race and her soul bubble with excitement.

She became so absorbed in the thrill of racing water that she had trouble separating herself from her creation. It was part of her, part of her soul.

Beneath the rippling surface, Ami opened her eyes. Without her glasses, the image of water churning was slightly fuzzy, but she could distinctly remember the sight from her youth.

* * *

.. 

_She darted out from the tall grass, squealing loudly. Her small fingers stretched out to grasp the evasive butterflies. Oh, how she wanted one to keep in a jar by her night desk. The yellow and pink dancers quickly fluttered out of reach, but she didn't give up. She followed them to the brook. _

_She heard her father call her, but she ignored the panic in his tone. She wanted a butterfly. _

_Just ahead, an old tree trunk lied on its side, a few yards away from the rapid brook. Smart little girl as she was, Ami knew she would be able to reach the butterflies if she got on top of the tree. She quickly scrambled up the log, her pantyhose tearing on the rough bark. She knew she would get in trouble for ripping them, but that didn't matter right then. The butterflies were passing over the log and soon there wouldn't be another chance. With a rapid leap, the small child launched for the small creatures. _

_Sadly, her young limbs were still inexperience she misjudged the distance between her the butterflies. Her little fingers sailed right through the two, their wings kissing her fingertips. Ami slowly fell back to earth, her polished black buckled shoe slipping off the edge of the log. Her eyes widened as she began to fall backwards towards the edge of the brook. _

_She heard her father called again, his tone more urgent. Sunlight glared into her eyes and for a dangerous moment she lost sense of direction. Then, she hit the hard ground._

_Immediately, her lip pushed out into a teary pout. It hadn't hurt that much, but the scare brought tears to her eyes. Pushing up into a sitting position, the little girl began to whimper. She suddenly wanted to be back in her father's arms. _

_However, this desire was quickly forgotten along with the fall and her butterflies when a glitter of light caught her eyes. She blinked as she focused on the surface of rushing water inches from her side. The rippling current was reflecting the sunlight into her eyes in the most dazzling display. Ami smiled excitedly and leaned on the palm of her hands to observe closer. The water was so clear that she could see the tiny minnows swimming along the dirt floor. Curiously, she dipped her fingers into the water. It was cold due to the early October weather and she squealed in delight. _

_Her father was closer now and she could feel his feet in the ground. Not that she cared. _

_The water had her full attention. It was talking to her, calling her. At least that's what she remembered before she pushed off the edge and flopped into the brook. _

* * *

.. 

Ami willed back the memory. Relaxing didn't include connecting the dots of her life. The memory about falling into the brook wasn't particularly painful, but it always stirred up trouble. That small glimpse at her childhood always opened the door to those other memories. Those memories would only tighten the knots in her neck.

Her fingers threaded through the bath water, reacquainting with the flow. The gentle current kissed her fingertips and swirled against her palms. She didn't even notice a layer of ice creeping over the surface of the water.

* * *

.. 

_She flipped to next page excitedly. The next round of photographs was even more exciting. The figure skaters were completing complex jumps with the ice spraying out from their blades. Her fingertips grazed over the path of ice chips wondering how it would feel to glide across the ice. It was probably one of the most glorious feelings. _

_A small smile crept up her face as she remembered next Saturday would mark her first ice skating lesson. It had taken some begging and extra chores to convince her parents, but she had finally won a chance to ice skate. Her mother had thought it to be a frivolous waste of time. She had believed her daughter had a rare brilliance that needed nurturing and had been pushing books under her nose since she had skipped two grade levels. Ami had taken to book reading like a person took to breathing and had begun reading books that was twice her grade level. Her mother had been very please when her daughter had begun to sneak glances at her medical books. Ami was quite able to understand everything in her huge volumes of biological studies, but she was eager to learn. It was only when her father had gone to pick her up from elementary school and Ami spotted a random poster promoting ice skating lessons that her daughter's book reading slowed. Perhaps, it didn't slow; it sped up, but this time her reading focused on skating. _

_A year later, Ami was given the chance to experience ice skating. Her mother's only stipulation to allowing the afternoon activity was that Ami couldn't let her grades slip a single level and she had to read at least five books a month (half of what she was reading before). _

_The young girl turned to the next page in the book. The pictures had been replaced with diagrams and lengthy dialogue of jumps and spins. The smart child hurried to memorize the tricks. She began to trace the mechanics of the jumps in her head, trying to imagine what it must feel to flow through the motion. It had to feel like you were flying, or perhaps flowing. Yes, it must feel like a river. She closed her bright eyes and tried to feel the skates gliding beneath her feet. The air danced with her, playing a wonderful game of tag as she did a simple twist. _

_She sighed contently and opened her eyes. Her thoughts quickly stopped when she noticed her snow globe at the edge of her desk. She had become a collector in the last few years and had a small shelf of the watery globes. Her newest one, given to her as a gift by her grandmother, was innocently sitting at the edge of her desk. It was of a long hair woman skating between a pair of snowy trees. What was strange about the globe, however, were the small white plastic flakes in the water. They were swirling in their glass prison. _

_Ami leaned closer, her eyes following the random pattern. That was the flakes' purpose. They were meant to swirl around and act like snowflakes, but that required at least shaking the globe. She hadn't even touched it. _

_Ami's little fingertips curiously reached out to the snow globe. Suddenly, the flakes began to swirl rapidly, charging at the smooth glass. Ami began to grow frightened and leaned away from her favorite treasure. Her insides tightened as her breathing began to speed up. She could a panic attack building in her throat, almost matching the globe's anxious behavior. She had barely called her mother's name when the globe shattered. _

* * *

.. 

Ami cursed herself inwardly. She was only making matters worse. She needed to change her mind set or else continue in her downward spiral. The blonde stranger from the alley immediately came to mind. She wondered who the man had been. He had known her, at least her name. She was certain she had never seen the man before that today. He was not a face a girl easily forgot. He was too hansom to overlook. Plus he was blonde, what she preferred. No, it was impossible that she forgot him.

But then that left her wondering how he possibly knew her. If there was any place she could have overlooked him, it had to be the hospital. She could have easily missed him in the endless crowd of patients. He could have read her name from her badge or heard one of the staff members call her name.

Even so, that small comment he made in the alley made her uncertain: _'I always know your name.'_

She couldn't think of anything logical to explain that statement. That was what made her fearful of the stranger. That one comment made her think he was a little unstable. Or maybe she was unstable.

She quickly tossed the thoughts aside and sighed. Tiny bubbles slipped passed her lips and tickled the underside of her nose. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see a thin layer of ice covering the top of her bath water. Her fingers pressed against the cold surface, enjoying the silky smoothness. She could hear a dull noise through her watery encasement and she realized her lungs were beginning to burn. Hastily, she tore the thin ice apart and pushed her head up for air. Sputtering out a mouthful of water, she pushed her hair out of her face. Her eyes immediately went to the frosty mirror on the opposite wall.

A knock on the bathroom door quickly gained her attention and Ami's blue eyes snapped to the side. "Yes?"

"Are you almost done in there, Ames?" It was her fourth roommate. Raye had returned from tending to her family's shrine across town.

"Yea!" Ami exclaimed in embarrassment. She had been dawdling too long if Raye had gotten home. She had expected to be out long before then. "Just give me a few minutes."

After rushing through a quick shampoo, Ami scrambled to the door in her plush robe and towel turban. On the other side of the door an elegantly beautiful young woman with long flowing ebony hair waited. A delicate eyebrow teased upwards upon sight of the intern's guilty expression. "Been daydreaming, Ames?"

The youth quickly pushed back the resurfacing memories. "Something like that."

The other girl frowned lightly and stared at her roommate intently. Ami shifted nervously under her friend's gaze. Raye had a knack for perception. She could always tell when something was going on. She could give her the biggest smile or her most convincing laugh and Raye would still catch her trying to hide something. It was comforting as much as it was frustrating.

"You okay?" Raye asked slowly.

Ami quickly switch on her best smile. The last thing she wanted was to ruin a night of fun by indulging on her lonely memories and confusing incident with the blonde stranger. She needed this night out as much as the other girls. Besides, she was never one to let others suffer her personal problems.

"Except for some exhaustion, never better," she answered cheerfully. "I've just worked a lot of hours at the hospital."

The dark haired beauty queen didn't appear convinced by her statement. A manicured hand curled at her side as she gave the intern a pointed look. "Long hours, huh?"

Though it was obvious Raye didn't believe her, Ami nodded quickly. "Yep, I had a few double shifts!"

Ami immediately ducked pass the other woman while reminding her that they were running late for their night out. She heard a sharp retort of frustration from her roomie, but Ami pretended to be deaf to it and raced down the hall. She knew Raye would be too worried about getting ready to follow. Her assumption was proven once she heard the bathroom door close behind her. Slowing down as she rounded the hall corner, Ami's lips twitched in merriment as she heard the rest of the house buzzing with laughter and excitement. She sighed lightly as she settled in the memories of the present, the sanctuary of her friends. She had shed her grim childhood for a life of happy freedom. That's what she needed to indulge in tonight. Even with the small reminder, her smile unknowingly slipped as she walked slowly down towards the bedrooms.

Reaching the second door, Ami knocked lightly.

"Come in!" Mina called cheerfully from inside. Behind the door, Ami was met with the sight of a yellow blouse floating in front of her face. Its arms were spread out and rippling as if invisible water was lifting it up. The sight made the intern think about astronauts inside a shuttle out in space. Ami smiled and plucked the shirt out of air. Immediately, the blouse became limp in her fingers and return to its normal state. Right behind the shirt, however, had been more clothes clouding the small bedroom.

Ami dropped the shirt to the floor. "Mina? Is it necessary to empty your entire closest to find one outfit?"

"I have to find the _perfect_ outfit!" Mina retorted loudly from behind the sea of colors. "It's a Friday night at the club. There will be tons of cute men there!"

Ami rolled her eyes and examined a particularly beautiful cream pencil skirt that was passing by her. "I thought you were dating what-his-name… Adam?"

"That was so three weeks ago," Mina claimed with an air of polished authority. "He just wasn't my type."

The intern almost sighed out loud when she heard her roommate's usual response. Mina would always date a guy for a few weeks, exclaiming sonnets of her new found love, and then the next day toss out her snapshots as if they dirty tissues. She had more dates going on in a month then the rest of them had combined in the entire year. Personally, Ami could count on one hand how many different guys she had dated in the last two years. She wished she could be bolder like Mina and flirt with hansom strangers, but she usually put her foot in her mouth long before she struck up small talk with anyone of the opposite sex. She was still embarrassed with a particular incident from the last New Year's Eve party where her and her girlfriends made a bet to kiss a total stranger at midnight.

Cringing, Ami turned back to the wall of clothes and began pulling and tugging stuff out of the air in search for her roommate. Each fluttered to the floor in a trail. "Mina, I was hoping you had something I could borrow for tonight."

Out of nowhere a blonde head popped up between the floating layers of clothes. Ami jerked to a stop. Perhaps it would be better grammar to state that a blonde head popped _down_, considering the fact that Mina was hovering a few feet short of the ceiling. Blue eyes blinked innocently, "What you meant to say was that you wanted me to pick out something fun for you."

"You know me so well." Unknowingly, Ami's face slipped into a smirk. It was true. Whenever, Ami went out on an important social event, she always looked to Mina to pick out her outfit. She was too shy and conservative to ever dare anything besides a high collar and slacks on nights out. It wasn't that she didn't want to wear the more upbeat, bold fashion. She just didn't believe she had the beauty to uphold the style. Finally, one day of frustration with her wardrobe sent Ami to her girlfriend's gifted talents. Three weeks later she was fully committed to clothes shopping with Mina.

The style queen glanced around her room, her brow pinching in confusion. "I know there was something I came across that just screamed your name."

"Really?" Ami inquired softly, her eyes watching how Mina's golden locks floated lazily in the air. She still couldn't figure out the exact equations surrounding Mina's power. Out of the five girls in the house, Mina's gift was one of the more elusive mysteries. Ami had tried multiple times to discover the biological equation to the blonde's power, but all the nurse could identify from her experimental studies was that Mina's power was connected to the manipulation of gravitational forces. Mina had the ability to create, destroy, increase, or destroy gravity between two or more objects. Keeping a floating closet was one of her many displays of power.

Even though her gift was indeed stupefying, Mina still had some interesting limits to her abilities. She could make things float or grow heavier, but she couldn't use it like a telekinetic power. She didn't have elaborate control over objects. Even though she could draw two objects together, she still had to put all her clothes back on their hangers by hand. She could possibly twist her clothes around the hangers, but in the end she couldn't do much else with her powers. It was like Mina could turn on and off a switch in the air, but once gravity began its magic, she didn't have much control over the object afterwards.

Ami wondered if Mina's awkwardness was a result of limited practice. From the way she had seen Mina study—or lack of—Ami guessed she wasn't far from the truth.

Something blue was tossed into the dark crown woman's face, startling her. Grabbing the item before it fell to the floor, Ami unwound the fabric to reveal a satin royal blue halter top dusted with baby blue sequence. She glanced to the blonde's eager smile. "No."

Mina's smile fell upon the sound of finality in her friend's tone. "Why?"

Ami held up her rigid, index finger, "Reason one: its going to be below forty degrees out tonight."

Her middle finger joined her first, "Two: I know the others aren't wearing something so… _sparkly_."

Mina rolled her eyes when the third fingers lifted. Ami ignored her and threw the shirt back to her. "Third: That's too much skin!"

She knew the last bit of logic was a desperate plea. She hated to admit it, but she was terrified of the shirt. She had worn bikinis and some low tops, but she had never had something that demanded so much attention. When Mina gave her a stern look, Ami big blue eyes gave a final plea.

"You want my help?" Mina asked frostily, hand curling on her hip.

Ami's shoulders dropped, "...Yes…"

Mina tossed the shirt back to her girlfriend. Ami grudgingly caught it, but gave her a withering look. The blonde smirked, "Then, you will wear the shirt with your favorite boots and that sweet black skirt with the slit."

"But I—"

Mina hastily put up her index finger, "One: its going to be hot in the club, especially on a busy Friday night, and you can wear your coat till we get there. Two: I need someone to match my outfit so loose the ego. Third: There will be other girls wearing less at the club."

Ami scowled at the shirt.

"Doesn't mean I have to wear less to keep up with the trash," she mumbled dejectedly.

Mina smiled softly as she let the sea of clothes drift to the floor into a messy pile to put away later. She held up a glittery tank top to her chest as she examined herself in the mirror. "There is a delicate line between skank and sexy, but you know my style is far from skank."

* * *

.. 

Two hours later, Ami was convinced Mina was psychic. Not only was it abnormally hot in the club, but she felt like she was wearing a coat in comparison to half the ladies there. Leaning back, Ami examined the dance floor from their round booth on the second floor balcony. Lita was dancing with a couple of girls she knew from business class, hoping to catch the eye of a few dashing strangers. Raye was heading up the stairs, having grown frustrated with a guy's unwanted advances. Serena and Mina had gone to grab a few drinks, leaving her to guard the booth.

She personally didn't mind being left to guard duty. She was too shy to scout the crowd for dance partners. Besides, from here she got to enjoying watching the swirling patterns of dancers. It reminded her of snowflakes swirling, especially with the spray of colorful lights dancing over their figures. She just couldn't wait till she could mingle with dancers and escape the emotional distress of everyday life.

Starry Nights was their favorite dance clubs and one of the top hangout spots in the city. The club was known for its upbeat music and its rookie bands. With its flashy atmosphere and cheap liquor, it usually was packed beyond its legal capacity every Friday and Saturday night. Serena was related to one of the managers so she and the girls were able to skip the entrance fee.

Raye loudly sank into the seat opposite of the young intern, her face flushed. Ami smirked at the way her friend glared down at the dance floor. Ami reclined backwards and crossed her legs. "Having trouble?"

"It's amazing," the priestess huffed haughtily as she flipped back her hair. "If it weren't for men's arrogance, I think I would have been married by now."

Ami giggled, "You and marriage in the same sentence? Wow, that's new. The guy must have got you riled up."

Raye crossed her arms. "I'll give him a six and a half on the scale for looks, but for attitude he gets a negative two."

"What did he say?"

"What did who say?" Serena asked loudly over the thrum of the bass guitar. In her hands she carried three of their drinks while Mina behind her carried the remaining two. Serena placed a pina coloda in front of the fuming woman while she bounced into the seat next to her. She pushed the Long Island Tea to the side for Lita before tasting her own banana daiquiri. Her bright eyes darted between her two friends while she enjoyed her drink. Raye plucked the cherry off the top of her drink and popped it into her mouth.

"Boy thought I was playing hard to get," Raye grumbled as she threw down the stem. "I even threatened his chances of having children and he still wouldn't leave me alone."

Ami said nothing as she took her raspberry margarita from Mina. Raye was cupid's hardest challenge when it came to romance. She was the classic twenty-first century feminist, man hater who was determined to settle for only the man who stood up to her standards. Raye hadn't completely revealed what exactly she was looking for, but from what Ami had heard, it would be a few years before the priestess every found Mr. Right-on-Target.

"Then after I said I would castrate him, he had the balls to grab my rear!" She hissed, eyes burning. Mina snorted a laugh into her strawberry daiquiri while the other girls, looked to the priestess fearfully.

"Did you make sure to clean up the blood, right?" Serena asked lightly.

Raye grinned wickedly, "I didn't want to ruin the evening with a police investigation so I invited him into the girl's bathroom."

The girls leaned over their drinks, eager to hear what she had done to the foolish boy. Satisfied to have their attention, the priestess calmly pointed towards the bathrooms on the first floor just as a short haired brunette stormed out of the hallway. His hair was matted to forehead and the top half of his shirt was soaked. From the expression on his face and the direction he was headed, it was plain to see that he had decided to make a quick getaway and call the night over.

The girls burst into laughter with Raye smiling triumphantly. Lita walked up to the table just in time to catch the end of laughter. Sliding in alongside Mina, the brunette asked, "What's so funny?"

Ami leaned on her elbow, "Raye has already dismissed one admirer tonight."

"She flushed his head in the toilet," Serena giggled.

Lita's eyes snapped to the woman, "Raye, we've only been here for twenty minutes. Can't you wait at least an hour before you try to get us kicked out?"

Her violet eyes narrowed, "He grabbed my rear."

Lita froze, and then smiled, "I'm surprised you didn't do worse."

Another round of laughter broke out and the girls settled into causal conversation of school, work, and recent events. They had each been busy with midterms in the last few weeks and were filled with juicy gossip. For Ami, there was little to report except the incident with the blonde stranger. Again, her desire to enjoy a night out kept her silent.

_'Later, _she promised inwardly as she watched her friends laugh and smile. _'Just one night let us have peace.'_

Raye snuck a glance towards her friend, concerned with her silence. Something was bothering the young intern. It wasn't Ami's lack of interest in the conversation that tipped off the priestess. No, instead it was the way the mirror had been frosted in the bathroom earlier this evening. At first, Raye had thought the mirror was fogged by the steam from Ami's shower, but when her fingers had touched the ice cold faucet she knew better. It had to be something special to get the girl's power to fluctuate.

At present, Ami didn't appear to be unhappy, but there was a tight muscle in her left temple that told Raye that the girl was preoccupied with thoughts outside of the girls' conversation. The priestess wondered what could possible get her so distracted. As far as anyone had heard, Ami still held the highest grade in her college department and work was wonderful. They had all been very busy, but if something had happened Ami would have said something. At least, that's what Raye hoped.

Ami could feel Raye's eyes watching her, but she pretended not to notice. Instead, she tried to focus back on the conversation at the table. The girls had switched to playing their favorite game of rating men at the club. Mina had pointed out a red head walking up to bar and had gained a round of approval at her selection. Ami's blue eyes unconsciously drifted back to the floor, hoping to get back into the conversation by singling out a hansom figure.

She caught sight of a flash of blonde hair and immediately opened her mouth to claim her selection, but almost instantly her voice died in her throat. His head turned away and she lost him in the crowd. She grabbed the bar behind the backrest of the booth. Surely, she was mistaken. That couldn't have been that same man from the alley. The city couldn't be that small.

Her eyes anxiously scanned the floor, unaware that the others had noticed the tension in her bare back. Serena gave Raye a silent look and the priestess shrugged. Lita stretched her fingers towards the girl's shoulders, "Ami, what's up?"

The intern jumped, startled. She looked to her friends, ashamed she had been caught. "Huh?"

"What's caught your attention?" Mina asked, her eyebrows waggling mischievously. "Is he tall?"

Ami blushed. Seeing the smiles on her friends' faces, she decided it was time to escape. Pushing lightly on Mina's shoulders, Ami replied calmly, "I think I spotted someone from my old high school. I'm going to go find her."

She was satisfied to hear the disappointed moans as she got up from the booth and headed for the stairs. If she had stayed, she knew they would have worn her down and she would have eventually spilled the beans. As it was, they probably didn't believe her excuse and would make sure to keep an eye on her.

Ami raced down the stairwell as fast as her heels would allow. She nearly lost her footing once, but she ignored her boots threat and hastened to the bottom floor. If that man was here, then he was either tailing her or she had some dark type of luck.

She hesitated at the edge of the dance floor, scanning the crowns of heads for a familiar wavy blonde. Unfortunately, the splatter of lights made it difficult to tell the difference between hair colors. She nervously bit down on her lower lip as she stepped into the motion of dancers. She slid into the current of people as easily as breathing. For her, dancing was like following the flow of water. If she kept to the rhythmic beat than she could pass through the press of bodies without disturbing a single dancer. Her element was water after all.

Ami swiveled back and forth between the dancers. She caught the glimpse of stray head of blonde, but it would disappear before she could pinpoint the keeper. She spun around for the third time spotting another wisp of blonde in the corner of her eye. Finding only rolling hips and unfamiliar smiles, the woman found a small patch of free space in the moving dancers and gave a huff of frustration.

In the balcony, the girls were darting glances in her direction in the midst of their conversation. Ami sighed lightly and returned to her search. Part of her wondered if her friends might be in danger. With her and her roommates' history of confrontations, Ami learned that when she became endangered, her friends would soon be caught up in her troubles. As long as she separated from the girls, than she could be keep them safe. That was only if the guy didn't already know about them.

Her lips perked upwards. In all truth, the guy had only followed her into an alley. He hadn't really threatened her or her girlfriends. Sadly, she had no room to give the weird man the benefit of the doubt. If she was right and he was a danger, than she could easily lose everything dear to her.

Her lips slid downwards. It seemed like she was fighting every week to protect her and her friends' happiness.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to spin around. Ami's hand unconsciously curled into a fist expecting to face the blonde stranger. She was startled to find a different familiar face smiling back at her. "Hey, Ames!"

She blinked rapidly, the earth tipping sideways beneath her feet. There was no mistaking that sandy blonde hair and cute dimples. "Greg?"

He grinned brightly at her as the frost melted off her limp fist. Her eyes ran over his features, trying to make sure it was actually her high school sweetheart.

"I thought you were still in Atlanta," she rushed out as a smile widened across her excited face. He shrugged before pulling her into a warm hug.

As he stepped back he gave her appraising look. "Love the outfit."

She blushed, surprised by his new boldness. Before he left her to go to college in Georgia, he had the worst time stumbling over his own words. They had been the perfect pair of shy intellectuals. He had been everything she had wanted. He had been her step into moving pass her lonely memories.

"I like your clothes, too," she mumbled while looking at his striped dress shirt and dark jeans. She had always loved the way he looked in his polos, but his pinstripe at the moment just made his smile seem to show the comfortable side he had always struggled to show her. "How's school in Atlanta?"

The sparkle in his eyes grew. "It's good—"

"Oh! There you are Greg!"

Ami's heart winced when she heard the silky voice of Greg's girlfriend. The cold truth of his memory hit her heart once she remembered exactly why they were no longer together. She quickly painted on a fake smile as the busty red head sauntered over in her tight, revealing attire. The new girl batted her heavily painted eyes at the young nurse with a haughty air, "Hello, Ami."

Her words were kind, but the underlying glare she gave Ami was hardly gentle. Her cherry red lips twisted in distaste as she slid her arm calmly into the crook of Greg's elbow. Ami returned the redhead an even look. "Hello, Beryl."

The other woman's green eyes trailed up the intern's attire before she delicately adjusted her black dress's strap to reveal a little more flesh. "Nice clothes, Mizuno. That doesn't look like something you would pick. Do you still need Mina to dress you?"

Keeping her frigid calmness, Ami pretended to be unaffected by the woman's words, but her heart squeezed. Greg frowned at his girlfriend. "Beryl, please."

"You're still stunning as ever, Berly," Ami calmly replied, her nerves uneasy. She was tempted to spat a rude reply, but she didn't want to offend a _friend_ of Greg's. Not that she had the guts anyone to be ugly to a woman so fierce.

"Greg!" Lita exclaimed, suddenly coming out of the crowd. "I didn't know you were in town! What are you doing here?"

Ami stepped back as Lita pushed up alongside her, the dutiful friend. She was amazed that she got to her so quickly. Beryl ruthlessly scowled at the new woman, not the least bit happy her fun was ruined or that she was presently being ignored. She immediately pressed tighter against Greg's side and loudly commented, "_WE_ are visiting Greg's parents this week."

Lita's face brightened. Keeping her eyes firmly on Greg's flustered face, Lita continued to ignore the red head. "Oh, that's so great! Will you still be here next Saturday?"

Beryl huskily growled at the brunette in her lime dress shirt and black jeans. Greg didn't notice the silent cold war between the women. "What's going on Saturday?"

"A few of us from high school are getting together to hang out this weekend at the old ski resort," Lita bubbled excitedly. "It would be just a wonderful surprise to have you show up. I'm sure everyone would love it!"

Ami glanced nervously to Lita. She attempted to send her a silent message that inviting him was a bad idea, but the brunette didn't look to her. Instead, Lita threw out the date and time of the gathering, promising how all their old high school buddies had missed seeing him. No one mentioned Beryl within those fond memories.

"Sure! That would be great!" Greg agreed easily. "Our plane tickets actually screwed up and we weren't going to leave until next Monday. I would hate to miss a chance to see everyone."

Beryl began to tug at her boyfriend's arm, tired of the two women. As he was pulled back into the crowd, he waved a farewell. "Bye, girls! We'll see you later at the ski resort. Bye, Ames!"

Then, he disappeared as if he had never been. Ami sighed dejectedly and mumbled a soft, "Bye."

Lita dropped a hand softly on her friend's shoulder. The nurse rolled her eyes to her and gave a pointed look. "Why did you do that?"

Jade eyes met blue sapphires. "He doesn't know what he's missing. There's always the chance he'll realize he's dating scum."

Ami shook her head mournfully and pulled out of her roommate's gentle grip. "That's just it. He knows exactly what's he's missing."

Her chest constricted painfully as she remembered her last conversation on the phone with him. "Why else would he give me up for her?"

Lita's eyes softened. "Amy—"

The nurse left without a backwards glance. It was memories like those that she wanted to escape tonight. She just wanted to disappear for one night of freedom and forget who she was. Ami easily slipped back into the crowd, letting her body flow with the upbeat tempo. She blinked back her tears and began to step with the rhythm.

Lita meant well. She knew as much as the other girls that Greg had been the high point of her life. It was when she had begun to piece back a smile onto her face. Unfortunately, he had also shattered that fragile happiness and broken her desires of dating. She was now a junior in college and she still had only brush the surface of dating. She would always break it off before she ever became too close to anyone. The girls were the only ones she trusted close to her heart.

Involuntarily, her hands lifted up with the other dancers as the lead singer prompted his audience. She slid her eyes close and focused on the beat vibrating through the floor. Her blood rushed into her ears like white water rapids. The drum of instruments bellowed from the speakers as the world fell away. If she was concentrated she could match the beat to the sound of pipes flowing. She loved the chance at being able to disappear into the music. She wasn't the best dancer, but she didn't care. It was about losing herself to the music and being able to forget everything. And, that was something she definitely wanted right at that moment.

She twisted between the dancers, her wrists flicking her hands upwards. She tucked her cheek against the press of her arm as she rolled her hips like an ocean wave. Sighing, she let a tear slip down her face while she clicked the spike of her heel at the peak of a drum roll. _'Be cold.'_

She rotated her shoulders and leaned her head backwards, letting a gasp escape her lips. _'Don't let it reach your heart. Don't let it hurt you.'_

Ami relished the sad sound of the bass guitar in her ears. She spun lazily as the music slowed. _'It will only hurt if you let it.'_

She was too deep in her dance to realize it had grown colder in the busy club. _'Let it slide off you. You're stronger than they think.'_

"Be careful," a voice pierced through her bubble. She opened her eyes and found laughing, warm green eyes staring straight through her thick defenses. "Don't want to freeze everyone here."

The familiar nameless blonde smiled at her.

* * *

**_A/N: Next chapter due date is inconclusive...hopefully will be soon, but not until chapters for both "Bad Dreams" & "Through Smudged Glass" has been posted. _**


	3. Shattered Mirrors

_**A/N: Took later than I had hoped, but it's nice and long.**_

* * *

__

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 3: Shattered Mirror_

* * *

Ami's pointed heel slipped precariously on the slick dance floor as she took a frantic step backwards. The blonde didn't allow her to put any distance between them. He was determined to keep her from slipping away again.

As Ami struggled to escape while at the same time keeping her eyes planted on the strange man, she cursed herself for letting her guard down. She was a defensive player. She never let herself be unprepared. If she did, then people got hurt.

"W-What is that you want?" Ami rushed out as she bumped into another couple. The wheels in her head were racing to solve her dilemma, but she was having difficulty thinking straight with the pounding music and crushing press of bodies. "Are you following me?"

The blonde dodged a random outstretched arm. "I need to speak with you, Ami."

"How do you know me?" she demanded sharply, twisting left. Her heels spun dangerously under weight. Ami gritted her teeth together as she narrowly caught her balance. Her heart did a triple flip as she stumbled into the dead center of the dance floor. A faster beat barreled through the giant speakers along the stage and immediately a round of shouts exploded from the dancers. Sitters pushed out of their seats and rushed to the floor. It had been hard enough to keep space between her and the blonde stranger, but when the newcomers pressed forward, she was suddenly reacquainted to those fragile inches. Someone bumped into her from behind and Ami stumbled forward.

Her fingers accidentally brushed the blonde's wrist. She flung herself backwards as if the small contact would melt her skin. He smiled down at her in amusement as her eyes darted in every direction. There were too many people on the floor for her to slip through and escape his reach. Rolling her eyes, Ami swung around and glared. "Who are you?"

The blonde's smile dropped. "Surely, you remember?"

"Well, you're obviously mistaken," Ami replied curtly. "I've never seen you before today in the alley."

One of the overhead lights shifted directions in accordance with the musical rhythm and shined in her eyes. She blinked rapidly as the light moved out of her face. With spots in her eyes, she focused again on the man in front of her.

"Look at me, Ami."

She squinted. His leather jacket looked almost gray in the vibrant lights and she could have sworn a cape was flushing down one shoulder like a waterfall.

_'The lights are playing tricks on my eyes,' _she dismissed quickly though her heart was heavy. She blinked several more times before she was able to once again see his red shirt and disappointed expression.

"Please, Ami," he insisted. "Surely, I look somewhat familiar."

His tone sounded desperate, almost broken. Ami was tempted to lie and say she did know him. She might not have any idea who he was, but his voice made her heart tighten. Ami rushed to hastily remind herself that the man had followed her into a deserted alley and the club. He was probably unstable.

She studied him, doubt clouding her judgment. She did not recall his face or his brilliant green eyes. His touch was unknown. Everything screamed foreign.

"Look! I don't know who you are. You've mistaken me for someone else." With those firm words said, she turned to dig her way out of the crowd, hoping he would let her leave. She wasn't surprised when he grabbed her wrist. Gritting her teeth, she curled her hand into a fist and faced him. "Let go of me!"

"You have to remember!" His green eyes searched hers. She attempted to tug her arm free, but his hand tightened. Her heart thumped with growing fear as he leaned forward. Pulling back, she frantically searched the crowd for an observant face. Surely, someone noticed what was happening, or, at least, noticed the fright in her eyes. She heard him call her name again just as she spotted a familiar brown ponytail. Lita must have been concerned with her after she had departed so abruptly. Ami lurched forward and swung her arm high. Luck was with her. Lita's eyes strayed towards her just as Zoisite grabbed her shoulder. The other girl's eyes widened.

As his gripped attempted to turn her around, Ami frantically mouthed, "Help!"

When Lita's expression became grim, Ami felt her fear disappear. Her friend would save her. Lita hastily lifted up her hands over her head and slapped her palms loudly together. When the clap of her hands hit the air, the overhead lights exploded in a flash of bluish-green and shards of glass showered down on the dancers. Everyone screamed and all the other lights in the club burst. In the second flash of light, Ami whirled around and drove an ice covered fist into the blonde man's chin. It was too loud to hear, but she felt bone break under the force of her blow. Zoisite stumbled backwards, his hands slipping away as easily as water. Rushing figures pushed him aside and she took the opportunity to escape. Elbowing her way through the mad crowd, Ami rushed over to Lita.

"Ami!" the woman cried over the noise. "Are you okay?"

The blue-haired nurse nodded while she grabbed her girlfriend's hand. "We have to get the others!"

Ami led them through the mess of people with her elbow as the driving force. The screams raked down the length of her nerves. Glass crunched beneath her feet and several panicked craze individuals knocked her off balanced. Ami was thankful Lita had made sure to spare the emergency lights or else they might have been lost in the maze of bodies. The young nurse was relieved to see the hallway she had been aiming for looming ahead. With a final push, she yanked Lita into the emptying corridor. Putting her shoulder into the nearest door, she and Lita spilled into the girl's bathroom.

As expected, the others were impatiently pacing the small enclosure. The bathroom was dark even with the emergency lights. It reminded the nurse more of a dark meeting of witches instead of graceful goddesses. As the door slipped close behind her, the others straightened.

"What happened?" Mina demanded. Her shadowy face was tight with concern. Ami leaned backwards against one of the stall doors. Even with the noise outside muffled, her blood was pounding in her ears, making it difficult to think. Her limbs began to shake uncontrollable as her fear resurfaced. She didn't want to say it, but he had really shaken her.

Lita's chest heaved as she swiveled towards her friend. "Who was that man?"

Faces snapped towards the nurse. Ami squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know."

Serena rushed over to her side and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. Ami sunk into her warm hold, feeding on her friend's strength. Serena was the only one she felt comfortable leaning on for support. She had been her first friend after her parents' divorce. The blonde woman propped her chin on the top of her friend's dark crown and pulled her tighter against her pink sweater.

"Did he hurt you, Ami?" she inquired intuitively. The other girls froze.

Ami weakly shook her head. Pressing her brow into the crook of her friend's neck, the small woman whispered a small, "No."

They waited silently for several long moments before Raye dared to ask, "What exactly happened, Ames?"

She bit down on her tongue, suddenly feeling every bit the fool. She had just knocked a guy out, caused her roommate to take out all the lights in their favorite club, and she had no explanation for her friends except that she had been terrified of a handsome stranger. Mina wouldn't have fled like she had. Mina would have suavely asked the blonde man to teach her how to remember him instead of fleeing. She inwardly cursed her paranoia for making her so fearful. If she wasn't so defensive, she wouldn't jump to ridiculous conclusions.

"Ami?"

She felt so small and weak.

"He didn't do anything to me," she mumbled dejectedly, avoiding everyone's eyes. She looked down at the toe of her boots, wishing they could swallow her up at that moment. "He just…confused me for someone else."

"What?" Raye was shocked. Her eyes narrowed as her shoulders grew rigid. "You're saying all of that was for nothing?"

"I—"

"Surely, something happened, Ami." Lita stated evenly while giving Raye a challenging glare. "You normally wouldn't freak out when you have an admirer."

"I—"

"Well, that's what she just said! Maybe you should have thought of that before blowing the lights," Raye snapped, throwing back her mane of dark hair. Metaphorical sparks passed from the priestess to the brunette as their glares connected. Lita stepped forward and lined up against the other woman. Being the tallest of the girls by two inches, the brunette could look menacing by simply standing up to her full height.

"You're one to talk, Spitfire!" Lita growled, her fist unconsciously curling at her side. "You nearly leveled a house last week because some dumb guy cheated on you!"

"The jerk deserved it!"

"It was his girlfriend's house!"

_"The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun!" _

The girls all looked to Serena as her phone's ring tone blared from her purse. The woman smiled nervously as they gave her grave looks. They had repeatedly told her to get rid of the annoying song. It had only been cute the first thousand times they had heard it.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Serena rushed out as she tossed out half the contents of her purse onto the floor. The compact and lipsticks weren't odd to see falling out of her bag, but Ami's eyebrow lifted when she spotted a fork hitting the dirty tile.

"Aha!" Serena squealed as she whipped out a pink crescent moon pen. The blonde frowned at her mistake and hastily returned to rummaging in the bottomless pit of her purse. Strange, how much a woman could actually fit in a small hand bag. When the song was about to repeat for the third time and Raye was about to burst into flames, Serena finally located the annoying object. Flipping open her pink Razor phone in front of Ami's face, the blonde woman clicked open her newly received text message:

**_Sender: Luna_**

**_Date: 1/3/2007_**

**_Message: Disturbance at Blue Ridge Warehouses in the downtown district. 1518 Center Street. Check the very back buildings. Use extreme caution. 10:18:40 PM_**

Serena looked up. "There's something going down at the warehouses in the downtown district."

"What!" Mina whined, her shoulders drooping. "Our night barely got started! Couldn't people wait a few hours before they start mess?"

"Well, I think our night was already over before Luna sent the message," Raye snapped while giving Ami and Lita pointed looks. The nurse looked back down at the floor. Ami knew she deserved the low blow even if her fiery roommate didn't know the details. After all, she had destroyed the club's lights over nothing.

"Can it, Raye!" Lita stomped her foot, the emergency lights waning.

That small flicker in the lights was all it took for the dark haired woman to dig her hand into her back jean pocket. In one fluid sweep of her arm, she had pulled out her favorite cherry red Zippo lighter and shoved it into the brunette's face. Using her thumb, the priestess disrupted the decorative kanji symbol for passion on the lighter by flipping open the Zippo and striking a flame into life. Orange glow spread across both their angry faces. Lita didn't show the littlest fear when the flame flared in size.

"You wanna play, sparky?" Raye hissed.

Serena and Mina leapt forward. "Hey!"

The nurse sighed wearily as she watched the twins grapple with the feisty women. Rolling her eyes, she calmly strode over to the nearest sink and spun both handles. She ignored her roommates' cries and splashed some water on her face. Leaning on the lip of the sink, Ami tried to calm her frazzled nerves. She had hoped tonight would bring some much needed stress relief, but sadly she should have realized they weren't meant to catch a break.

A piercing shriek from Serena quickly reminder the young nurse that there were things needed to be done. Lifting her eyes, she saw Raye had managed to push Serena off of her and had lifted her Zippo back up towards Lita, who was still busy trying to get rid of Mina. Ami instinctively shot up her arm. The running water in the sink abruptly shifted upon itself. The water molecules moved unbidden against the pull of gravity and wrapped around the woman's body in beautiful ribbons. Racing upwards, the streams of water traveled down the length of her outstretched arm in intertwining patterns. Without looking, Ami could sense the molecules stretching out like a third arm. The thrilling sensation flared when her eyes narrowed and focused on the swelling flame in Raye's hand. The watery ribbons rushed forward upon her inner command and crashed directly into the woman's hand.

Raye cried out in surprise. Her Zippo noisily hit the tile floor and slid over to Mina's feet. Ami was pleased to see the block of ice she had encased around the lighter was several inches thick. It would take Raye at least ten minutes to thaw it out.

When Raye whirled on her, Ami lifted her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry I screwed up our night out. I confess I might have overreacted, but we don't have time for this."

"Ami's right!" Serena added merrily as she got from her fallen spot on the floor. "There's something going on at the warehouses. For all we know, people could be in danger and we're too busy picking blame."

"Hmph!" Raye grunted as she snatched up her lighter. Raye was too prideful to admit that Serena, the airhead of the group, was right especially when she had acted a fool. Raye had thrown too many dumb blonde jokes at the girl.

Lita heaved a heavy sigh before nodding. "Sorry."

_"Ami!" _

The girls' attention was quickly diverted to the loud male shout coming from the other side of the bathroom wall. The girls instantly slipped into an understood silence and trained their sights on the entrance. Ami's heart skipped as she heard footsteps echoing down the hall. _'He heard us.'_

As the steps grew uncomfortably close, Ami dove forward and hastily clicked the deadbolt into place. Almost immediately the footsteps quicken in their direction. Ami quickly spun around and gave her roommates a pleasant smile. "Let's get going."

Mina scowled, "That wouldn't be the guy that Lita blew the lights out over?"

The nurse giggled nervously at the suspicious looks she was receiving from the others. "We'll talk about that later. We need to get downtown."

Loud pounding started on the door and everyone jumped. Whoever was following the nurse was definitely persistent. First to recover, Raye calmly crossed her arms. "How would you suggest we exit our beautiful prison, Ames? The window is too small and the door is unfortunately blocked."

Sirens were next heard coming from the streets outside.

"And it appears the firemen and police are nearly here."

"Oh, we could be rescued by cute firemen!" Mina commented joyously.

"Or ugly ones," Lita replied sourly. "Besides, if they rescue us, there going to put us through questioning. That'll take too long!"

"Okay," Ami spread out her arms. "It's alright. We have a way out."

It took only one and half seconds for the girls to realize what she meant. In perfect unison their eyes lifted to the square metal vent overhead.

"Could we not use the vents for once?" Mina grumbled as she watched Ami turn over the huge metal drum for a trashcan. When the heavy can was pushed under the vent, Mina yanked down on the hem of her glittery tank top. "I just bought this today!"

* * *

..

A little over an hour later they had scrambled through the wonderfully grimy air vents back into the main room of the club, grabbed their coats from the abandoned check-in station, piled into Serena's silver jeep, and walked up to the wire fence surrounding the Blue Ridge Warehouses. There was no sign of a security post, but there was a huge gate with an electronic keypad blocking their entrance. The keypad was easy enough to bypass with Lita's ability. If there had been a guard, however, Ami wasn't sure if they would have been able to slip by unnoticed. There was no way they would have been able to explain their glittery attire under their heavy coats to the guard. With the white gloves they were wearing, they looked like a bunch of crazy girls playing out a dare. Luck was with them, however, and they snuck in with ease. There wasn't even a visible video camera.

As they strode in together, Ami wondered what sort of mischief was happening at a storage facility. Normally, they were sent on missions to burning houses or bank robberies. Patrolling an empty lot of buildings didn't appear on her imaginary list of superhero duties. She might not have Raye's ESP, but she knew something was very wrong with their situation.

Once the gate was reset, they hastily separated into two teams and headed for the back of the huge concrete yard. They were very much ready to finish this mission and return to their night out if at all possible. Ami knew it was unlikely to hope for such things. Luna would never call on them unless something required their _special _abilities.

Ami carefully leaned against the freezing shingles of the nearest building and peeked around the corner. Even with her heavy coat, she could feel the ice all the way down to her toes. She was definitely leaving ice cubes in Mina's bed later this week.

Looking down the row of buildings, Ami scanned the shadowy area. It was a dead end leading to the north side of the barbed wire fence. There were six buildings paired off across from one another with a lane big enough for eighteen-wheeler to pass between them. The only visible entrances, besides the three-by-three windows that were twelve feet above their heads, were the roll up garage-like entryway and a lonely gray door. If anything was going on in the lot, it had to be in one of the buildings.

The young woman frowned as she pulled back and turned to the woman waiting beside her. Lita was shifting from foot to foot in a vain effort to stay warm. At least, the tall fighter had a thick leather jacket over her lime dress shirt. Her halter top felt like it was nonexistent under her cotton pull over jacket. Ami was glad she had her knee-high boots or else she would catch hypothermia. "I don't see anything, but that's not saying much. There are hardly any overhead lights here."

Lita nodded, checking behind her once more. "I know. If they were going to have lights, don't you think it would help to get enough to illuminate the place? I mean why have any lights at all?"

"For security?" Ami guessed, peeking around again. "Not that these lights would help much. They might just be a deterrent for robbers."

"Only the dumb ones."

"Yea," the shorter woman mumbled. A serious robber wouldn't be running from these dim lights. Keeping her eyes peeled for movement, Ami reached for the sleek plastic buzzing in her ear. Her plastic covered fingers slid across the sleek wireless earpiece, searching for the familiar round button.

When they had begun to go on these missions, about three years ago, the five of them had relied on their cell phones to stay in communication with one another. After the incident when Serena's phone had loudly rung while she was hiding from a serial killer, they had scrapped the idea of using their cell phones. Plan B was to use headsets, but there was too much of a delay between dials. Being the genius of the bunch, Ami had decided she would have to build their own radio network like the new cell phone walkie-talkies. With Lita's electrical skills, she was able to build a radio system through wireless cell phone headsets. It took months of late nights and failed trials, but she and Lita had finally perfected their headsets.

Finding the specially installed red button, Ami pressed down and silenced the static in her ear. "This is Ami. Found anything on your end, Mina?"

Releasing the button, she and Lita listened in on each of their wireless walkie talkies for a response.

_"Nothing,"_ the woman on the other end of the line replied, her tone worried. _"Everything's quiet. We haven't even seen a security guard."_

Ami glanced to her partner before pressing the button again. "It's possible there is no security guard. These warehouses could be storage facility filled with unwanted goods."

_"Then why would they have a coded lock box on the front gate?"_ Serena's static voice asked across the radio band.

Ami smacked her forehead, "Yea, forgot that."

_"Come on, Ames. You're a little off tonight."_

"Yea, I know." She grumbled, before opening the line again. "Have you already circled around?"

_"Yes. Everything appears normal. Nothing seems to be tampered. I think we should start checking inside each warehouse, starting with the back buildings."_

"Agreed."

_"Be careful."_ Raye's voice commanded sternly. _"Something doesn't feel right to me."_

Ami and Lita's eyes connected. Whenever Raye said she was uneasy, everyone suddenly stood on their toes. There were few in the world with a gift of ESP so dead on target as Raye's.

"Heard that," Ami replied heavily.

Cutting off her line, the nurse walked out into the open area and headed to the first door. Lita followed close behind, protecting their backs. Ami checked the handle, but she wasn't surprise to find the door locked. She shivered as a harsh breeze raced up her skirt. Frantic to be rid of the cold, she pressed her hand over the keyhole. Lita scanned the area when she saw her roommate close her eyes in concentration. Shortly later, beads of water crept up along the metal surface, disappearing into the darkness of the inner working of the deadbolt. The molecules mounted on top of each other and pressed against the inner ridges. Ami pushed harder and the water quickly swelled into hard ice. In seconds, she could feel the telltale bulge stretching out of the hole and into her palm. Opening her eyes, she smiled at the icicle protruding from the deadbolt. Twisting the key of ice, the deadbolt clicked happily and freed the door.

Lita smiled, "I need to remember to call you whenever I lock my keys in the car."

"Haha, very funny." Ami carefully turned the knob, praying there wasn't some crazed monster waiting on the other side. Sliding the door open a crack, a stony blackness met her wide eyes. She couldn't see far, but it looked like there were several square piles covered in huge, gray canopies. If she squinted, she could see round barrels hiding under the hems. Beyond that she could only identify a wall of black.

"Ready?" Ami whispered, never taking her eyes off the ghostly images of sheets.

"Ready," her partner answered firmly.

Not waiting a second longer, else she might lose her nerve, Ami ducked inside. Lita shortly followed, making sure to leave the door unlocked should they need the other girls during an emergency. Keeping close together, the two moved between the rows of crates as silent as their heels would allow. As her eyesight gradually adjusted to the darkness, the short woman realized the same stacks ran all the way down to the far back wall.

"You think I should turn the lights on," Lita whispered next to her ear.

Ami shook her head as she checked a behind another pile. "No, if no one's inside, than they might be outside. The lights will tip them off."

Walking pass the last rows, Ami immediately that familiar feeling of wrongness. She glanced to either side, fully expecting for someone to jump out at them. Everything was too quiet, too normal. Maybe she was being paranoid.

The air popped in her ears as she forced the temperature to drop. _'It's better to be safe than sorry.'_

Reaching the back wall, Ami sighed with slight relief. "Well, it doesn't seem like anyone's here."

A rustle behind her turned the nurse around. Lita had pulled one of the sheets back and was studying the barrels.

"Strange," Lita mumbled. "These barrels are unmarked."

Ami's scowl matched the brunette's when she noticed the clean, empty surface of the metal drums. These weren't privately owned store houses so that meant a company owned these barrels. Walking forward, she tapped one of the barrels with her knuckles. A heavy thud replied to her question.

"They're definitely filled with something," Ami commented as she looked at the top of the tall pile. "What do you think—"

Her heart stopped when she saw a figure standing on the overhead loft. She had completely forgotten to check for overhanging walkways. An abrupt shift from the figure and a familiar shape made Ami lurch forward.

"Gun!" She screamed as she shoved Lita to the floor. Her sudden prayers were interrupted by the sound of gun going off. She felt a sharp blast of air pass her left ear as she hit the ground. There was a flash of sparks from the bullet ricocheting off the floor. Ami hastily began pushing Lita.

"Move! Move! Move!" she cried as a second gunshot was fired. The next bullet exploded next to her face as it shattered her small headset. Ami cursed as pieces of sharp plastic raked across her cheek. Covering her ear with one hand, Ami scrambled out of view of the shooter. Pressing her back to the barrel, the young woman tried to steady her breathing. Lita was at her side by time she sucked in her first ragged breaths.

"You okay? You're bleeding," the brunette asked frantically. Ami pressed her cheek tenderly. It stung terribly, but there wasn't that much blood on her plastic gloves.

"I'm fine," she gasped. "He just hit my headset."

Her eyes darted upwards. "He's on the loft."

Lita had just turned her face up when the figured raced down to their visible end of the overhead walkway. He slid to a halt and his arm lifted. On reflex, both girls separated in different directions. The bullet punched a hole in the canvas and scratched across the side of the barrels.

As she raced down one of the lengthy rows, Ami immediately reached out for a pipeline. Her heart was pumping so loud in her ears, however, that she couldn't hear the sound of water. As she rounded a set of barrels, she checked the walkways and spotted a second figure in front of her. Ami slid to a halt and rolled to the left as the person fired.

"We've got gunfire in warehouse seventeen!" Ami heard Lita yell into her headset from the opposite end of the room. "Repeat: We have gunfire in warehouse seventeen!"

"Lita, there's two shooters!" Ami yelled as she flew through the rows. Getting close to one of the walls, Ami tried once again to find a water source. The only water she could feel was the inch of snow lying outside on the ground. Her heart dropped.

Snow could have been useful if the walls weren't separating her from it. She could possibly break through the metal walls by forming a large enough spear of ice, but it would take too much time. As it was, the shooters were probably circling in on her position. When she turned, her suspicions were confirmed.

Ami immediately rounded the corner. Her skirt bunched higher and she felt a cold blast ride up. This definitely wasn't one of her grander moments of hero work.

The lights suddenly surged with power and bolts of lightning passed through the air. Green electricity traveled down the length of loft, disappearing out of the nurse's view. There were flashes on the ceiling, followed by a pained filled cry. At least, Lita was able to use her abilities.

Abruptly, the air pressure tightened and a clap of thunder exploded. Ami gasped as the barrels in front of her toppled into her path. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw some black-like cloud trailing behind the barrels as they fell. When they hit the concrete floor, several of drums cracked opened and spilled out translucent liquid. She recoiled when her nostrils filled with the stench of gasoline. Her heart galloped against her rib cage as the gas slowly expanded across the floor. They were standing on a matchstick!

_'Oh no…'_ Ami swung her face in the direction she had seen the electrical flashes, "Lita! The drums are filled with gasoline!"

There was a loud blast behind her. Ami spun around just in time to see a purplish-black cloud hit the walkway. When the metal groaned above her, the young nurse pitched forward. Unfortunately, there was not enough time for her to escape the falling chunk of walkway. The beam struck her square between the back of shoulder blades and smashed her into the ground. Ami cried out as her body was squished into the concrete by the heavy beams. Her eyes squeezed shut as pain clouded her brain.

"Ami!"

Another gunshot. She opened her eyes and saw orange sparks dance over the pools of gasoline. Dread numbed her nerves as she watched the sparks hit the gas. Flames erupted instantly and heat flared through the room. Fire rapidly spread throughout the room, but luckily it only enveloped the broken barrels. There was just barely enough space to separate the piles from the fire.

"Ami! Where are you?"

The nurse coughed on the heavy smoke, her body screaming. Blinking back tears, she scanned for the shooters. The fire brought a great deal of light to the room, but the shooter was still hidden in the edge of the shadows. The shooter was standing unmoving at the edge of the broken walkway. It looked like he was staring down at her.

She squinted, ignoring the prick of smoke in her eyes. He looked about as tall as she was. He might be an inch or two taller. He had long wavy hair and was wearing dark, baggy clothes. Before she could figure out more, the shooter hurried to the opposite end of the walkway and disappeared into the darkness.

She swallowed. _'Could it have been him?'_

"Ami!"

She slowly turned her face towards her friend's voice. She squeezed her eyes closed again when her head spun.

"L-Lita," she called weakly, the air gone from her lungs. There was no way she had heard her. "Lita."

"Ami!" She sounded closer. "Oh my!"

The nurse felt the metal walkway shift over her. Opening her eyes, she saw her friend trying to push the beams aside. There was a stream of blood trailing down the side of the brunette's face from a scratch beneath her right eye. Lita's headset was missing.

"Ami, wake up!" Lita commanded. She leaned over and pressed her shoulder under the beams, trying to lift it off her friend. The beams shuddered, but barely moved. Ami tried to pull out from underneath, but her legs were pinned. Her face twisted with the strain. The concrete scrapped along her bare flesh as she struggled.

"Can you move?" the brunette whimpered between clenched teeth.

Ami tried again, but nothing moved. She shook her head.

Lita carefully dropped the beams and sucked in a large gasp of air. She struggled for a few minutes before looking warily at the surrounding flames. "It's too heavy."

Her tone was uneven, "Can you put the flames out?"

"There's no water close by." Ami licked her dry lips, "Did the others hear you on the radio?"

"I don't know," Lita answered nervously. "There was a lot of weird static."

Ami sunk against the concrete, energy seeping out of her. Cold fear began to grip her heart as she saw flames jump onto the canvases. She took in a deep breath. "Go get Mina."

Lita glared down at her friend.

"I can't leave you!" the brunette snapped. "The—"

"You and I can't lift this," the other woman interrupted sternly. She locked an icy look on the brunette. Her head was hazy, but she forced strength into her voice. "You can't do more here."

Indecision crossed over the other woman's face. Leaving a friend in a burning building was not an everyday option. Her fingers tightened on the beam as she glanced again at the growing flames. Giving her dear friend a final look of distress, Lita pushed off the beam and raced pass the barrels towards the exit.

When she lost sight of her brown ponytail, Ami grew still. Her eyes frantically darted everywhere as her breathing sped up. She had been in a lot of dangerous situations before, but never one like this. Her limbs began to tremble as fire crackled. She had never been helpless. She had abilities that were god-like and had skills in self-defense. Dangerous situations normally didn't cause her to bat an eye. She had always felt limitless, especially with her above average smarts. Now she was feeling what so many _normal_ people feared: the fear of losing control of a situation.

Panic immediately settled into her constricting chest. Ami bit down on her lower lip to keep from sobbing. She struggled under the beams, tears dripping down her face. Seconds were disappearing as rapidly as her nerves. She was nearly twenty-two years old and she felt like she was five years old all over again. The young woman pushed desperately on the beams, wanting to see her friends again, but her limbs fell when she was overcome by coughs.

She curled up as best she could with the beam crushing her legs. She was suddenly aware of how hot it was. She wanted to yank off her coat. Her arms curled around her midsection and she tried to steady her chaotic emotions. She was stronger than this. She wasn't a frightened child anymore.

Flashes of shattered mirrors and her cat's dead body filtered to the forefront her brain. She sucked in a sharp gasp and clutched a hand over her mouth. Shadowed memories danced along her emotions, yanking her into wild hysteria.

'_No…I'm stronger now.'_

She cringed.

_'I'm…'_

The fire hissed louder.

_'I'm scared…'_

Her limbs began to tremble viciously. Her spasms were so violent that her temple cracked against the concrete. Black dots danced over her vision, but her spasms didn't slow. It was so bad that it almost felt like the ground was shaking beneath her. She suddenly snapped to attention. The ground _was_ shaking.

Looking to the side, she saw the barrels vibrating and shifting dangerously. Her ears filled with the sound of ripping and when she turned she saw a split in the concrete, inches from her face. Her eyes widened as the ground shook harder and the rip spread hungrily across the surface. Her fear had risen to a new level.

Her fear instantly disappeared, however, when she felt a very real and comforting sensation. She eyed the crack of concrete anxiously as she sensed the wonderful flow of water surging upwards. There was a loud squeal from within the ground and then, water shot up from within the various cracks. Huge raindrops fell around her, seeping down into her clothes. With a bit of time and heavier spray, the flames surrounding the imprisoned nurse gradually began to die. Ami laughed happily as the warm water caressed her aching flesh and washed away her fears.

A knowing grin pulled across her face as she blinked back the rain. She heard the sound of heels and carefully turned her aching head towards the sound. Her vision was blurry from the downpour and the recent blow against the ground, but she could definitely recognize the figures heading towards her.

"Hey, I didn't know you were in town," Ami managed to whispered just before she blacked out.

* * *

_**A/N: If you enjoyed this, you'll love chapter 4. When will it be out? Hate to say it, but reviews will determine it. I always get excited when people review so I write more.**_


	4. Light at the End of the Tunnel

**_A/N: Wow. I got this done in four days! Amazing. I really got into this chapter. _**

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_ Chapter 4: Light at the End of the Tunnel_

* * *

..

_She slammed her door closed. Marching forward, she threw her school bag across the room. She heard it connect with her mirror, but she didn't care. She was too upset. Reaching her desk, she stared down at her newest snow globe. The plastic unicorn inside the glass prison was jeering up at her. Without thinking, the young teenage girl grabbed the small object. Almost instantly the glass fogged over and ice filled the globe. Ami didn't notice the coldness of the glass surface when she chunked her snow globe at the wall. The loud shatter stretched throughout the empty house. _

_Her eyes darted towards her shelves of snow globes. They smiled back at her like the first joyous day that she had placed each in their spots. The collection had started the day she was born when her father presented her mother with a snow globe of a cradle. Each year following had produced new and spectacular globes. Some were of famous places her family had visited, like Paris and Florida. Others lit up or carried cute figurines that weren't found in the neighborhood market. With fifteen years, she had accumulated thirty-six snow globes into her collection. _

_Ami hastily picked up her desk chair. Even for its heavy wood, it felt incredibly light in her palms. Her chair crashed dead center into her shelves with a sickening crack. The spray of shards was beautiful in a painful way. The sharp edges caught the glint of light while the shelves collapsed. Everything fell like raindrops in an April shower. _

_Her expression turned sour and the falling shower froze in midair. The spray of water from the globes had flashed froze, catching the figurines and shelves in its icy arms. The ice glittered as it spread across her blue-green wallpaper. Her blue eyes darted towards the thermostat, reveling in the sight of the thin hand sliding downwards. Her breaths soon were white wisps on her chapped lips. The shards of mirror on the floor fogged over before ice covered its smooth surface. _

_Ami ignored the crack of wood breaking as the pipes within the walls began to burst. New water sprayed into her room, but it quickly became ice. Soon ice and snow covered her large bedroom. _

_The teenager stood numbly within her winter wonderland. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly as her soul grew lost in the hurt. Staring through the mess of her matted bangs, Ami stared at her broken collection. All those happy memories were destroyed in a mere moment. All because of those stupid kids at school. _

_She squeezed her eyes close, but unfortunately, their voices followed her. They had jeered at her. They had made jokes as quickly as they could bat an eye. Only a handful had talked to her before today, and then, suddenly, an entire classroom had spun on her. They had called her names, prodded her with tasteless questions, and given her ugly looks. It was torture for an awkward teenager trying to find her place in the world. _

_What had stabbed her heart, though, wasn't what they had poked fun at. She could live through the jokes about her genius. Being made fun of her shyness and academic excellence was uncomfortable, but the simple five-letter word had broken through her defenses as if her heart had been paper. Her chin trembled as her hands tightened, "I'm not a freak!"_

_Her room glared back at her with disgusting proof of her denial. _

_"I'm not a freak!" she shrieked to the ceiling. She snatched up her snow covered books from her desk and knocked them to the floor. The empty spot of snow was uncomfortable to look at. _

_She spun and flew at her bed. Her tears became snowflakes the moment they hit the air. She yanked back the covers, wanting to disappear beneath their dark confines. A sob caught in her throat and the covers limply fell to the floor. The coldness felt like needles in her lungs as the temperature fell perilously colder. Ami could do nothing, but stare at her cat as it lied frozen solid on top of her sea shell sheets. _

* * *

..

The water was flowing now. It was rippling across her skin, kissing her aches and pains. There was a bright light hitting her in the face, strangely soft and unfeeling. The image wavered and color evaporated. There was a surge of heat through her blood followed by a flash of ice. Then, she sank deeper out of reach.

* * *

..

_Her clothes were finally beginning to dry thirty minutes later. She had a wool blanket wrapped around her, but her bones still felt frozen. She had stood over her cat for nearly an hour before her parents had come home and found her. By then the room had begun to melt and her clothes had become soaked. _

_Her parents' voices suddenly peaked in volume and Ami hugged her knees tighter. Her blue eyes peeked between the marble banisters towards the living room. She had been sitting on the stairs since her parents had ducked out of her room. Whenever they had an argument they went to the living room to scream things out. They didn't think they could be heard in such a large house, but they were foolish to believe their genius daughter didn't know what was happening. _

_"What about next time?" her father yelled. "What if it's one of her friends?"_

_"She didn't know her cat was there! You know she would never have intentionally hurt Aethra!" Her mother retorted. _

_"I just think we should let a doctor see her," his voice softened in defeat. Ami watched as his shadow drew closer to her mother's. "Maybe there's a way to fix all this."_

_Tears spilled over the teenager's cheek as she realized her own father thought she was a freak of nature. She pressed her forehead against her arms and bit down on her tongue so her parents wouldn't hear her cry. It wasn't fair. She didn't ask for these abilities. She didn't ask to be a freak. _

_"You think there is something wrong with her?" her mother accused coldly. "I know this was a horrible accident, but her…abilities aren't a curse. She's not something that needs fixing." _

_There was a break of silence and the young girl wondered what her father was thinking. Leaning closer to the rail, Ami listened anxiously for his response._

_"She's our little girl," Her mother pleaded, her words barely reaching her daughter's attentive ears. The wait for his response made the girl's heart sink heavily. Her chin began to tremble as the dark moment settled on her weak shoulders._

_"I can't do this anymore," he replied evenly, destroying the fragile soul of his only child. _

* * *

..

Ami fought against the undertow. She kicked and flailed for the surface, reaching out blindly for the light. Her fingertips broke through the watery wall and caressed the warmth of air.

* * *

..

_Ami flipped the page. Her eyes skimmed the paragraphs, but not reading a single word. The letters were bleeding together, loosing all sense of meaning. She glanced at the diagrams, but she couldn't remember what they were describing. Huffing, she slammed the book close and shoved it across the floor away from her. _

_A small meow brought her focus to her lap. The small gray kitten pressed her tiny paws into the girl's stomach, trying to climb up and catch her attention. Ami's blue eyes were dull as she quietly petted her new kitten. Sighing through her nose, she stared at the floor, numb to thoughts and feelings. Everything seemed so empty and surreal. _

_There was knock on her bedroom door. Ami slowly lifted her face, but didn't say anything. Her mom didn't expect a response anyway. _

_"Ami? I met someone today." Her voice sounded too cheerful. It was like her mother believed putting enough happiness in her words could spill over to her daughter. Ami looked back down at her kitten, annoyed by her mother's chipper tone. It didn't matter how good of an actress her mother was. Her mother couldn't put the shards back together by pretending that dad had never left. _

_"It was a young girl from your school." Her mother continued warmly. "She says she's part of your grade level and was wondering if you could help tutor her in math." _

_No reply. Her silence wasn't a refusal, but it wasn't an agreement either. Her eyes strayed to her Advanced Calculus book, but didn't focus on the title. Gradually, she closed her eyes and listened to her mother's feet shifting on the other side of the door. Would it take her mother another two years to realize that she still wasn't over the divorce? Moving to a new school district wasn't helping. _

_"Ami?"_

_Blue eyes blinked. She knew that distinct melodic voice. It was that pigtail blonde, the one who had tried to talk to her for over a week. The girl had a warm smile, but Ami wasn't able to return it. She had more than once politely excused herself from the blonde's company. _

_"Do you mind if I come in?"_

_Her limbs grew tense. She wasn't ready to believe in friends again. She wasn't ready for anyone, yet. She just wanted to be left to her books. That way she didn't have to feel anything. _

_Her heart recoiled when she heard the knob twist and the door tentatively push open. There was movement in the corner of her eye, but she made her face stay pointed down towards her kitten. She didn't even pretend she was deaf to the sound. She didn't have the will or the energy to pretend. Eyes slid close as her chest squeezed. _

_Her eyes snapped open in surprise, however, when she heard the girl step in and close the door behind her. It was obvious that the girl wasn't going to leave so easily. _

_"I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie." It was a gentle enough request. There were no strings attached to the statement. There wasn't a promise of talk during the movie, but Ami knew the girl wanted more. She probably wanted to hear all about her bitter story. She probably was like everyone else who wanted to pull back the layers of her untold past and poke at her. All everyone wanted to do was solve the mystery that clung to her quiet solitude. They didn't want to be friends. They looked at her like a conquest. This girl wasn't any different. She was just too curious for her own good to take the hint. _

_Ami silently shook her head, not feeling the least bit guilty. Serena's shoulder drooped. There was stretch of uncomfortable indecision before the happy blonde sprung back up. "Hey! That's a really cute kitten!"_

_Ami jumped when the girl hastily sat down beside her. The girl was intruding upon her small bubble of personal space. Normally, Ami would have politely requested for the girl to move back, but the giddy expression on the blonde's face stopped her. Serena's blue eyes sparkled down at the gray kitten. _

_"I have a cat at home," Serena stated cheerfully, totally unaware of the other girl's nervousness. "She got a beautiful black coat and a little patch of white across her brow. I named her Selene after the Greek moon goddess because the white patch on her forehead looks like a little crescent moon."_

_Ami was shocked. She had always thought the blonde was—ahem—low in the academic smarts. The teenager froze when those big, blue eyes snapped up to her face. Serena didn't look put off by the mute girl's aghast expression and smiled warmly, "What's your kitten's name?"_

* * *

..

The air hit her lungs hard. She gasped desperately as she felt warm liquid slid off her limbs. Gradually, her vision shifted and focused on the square windows overhead. The warm sunlight was pouring down through the clear glass ceiling. Ami slowly blinked as she realized she was knew that ceiling.

Something rolled across her back. She knew instantly it was a current. The dancing water whispered beneath her, brushing her limp fingers. It spoke soothingly as if it had missed her. The water ached beneath her as if it had been lonely, or maybe it was her who was feeling lonely. Ami closed her eyes and reacquainted to the feel of the rippling element. Her skin felt so dry. Why did it feel like she had been away for so long?

Her blue eyes opened when she felt the water shift unnaturally against her back. She had not commanded the change of flow. Suddenly, it shifted again and pushed between her shoulders. The water was gentle, but insistent like it had a mind of its own. Steadily, Ami realized the water felt like a stranger beneath her. She could not feel herself in its flow. She could distinctly sense a wall between her and the molecules. There was only one explanation for such an odd feeling.

Very carefully, the young woman turned her head to the side and followed the line of the ceiling down to the white wash wall. Her eyes lowered and she saw the line of a concrete floor surrounding the pale blue tiles of an indoor pool. The chlorine finally reached her nose and the woman knew then where she was.

A teal mass moved into her line of sight and Ami looked upwards. Brilliant sea green eyes twinkled down at her. Ami blinked rapidly when the sunlight bounced off the crown of the other woman's beautiful teal curls. She looked like a guardian angel. It took Ami a few extra seconds to notice the scarlet tie holding up the woman's ponytail.

"Glad to have you back, Ami." Her voice was soft and elegant, like the sound of waves lapping on a shore. Her gentle words echoed off the crest of the water surrounding them.

"Michelle?" Her tongue struggled to obey her small command. It felt like it had been sitting out in a desert. "W-What?"

"Sh," the older woman commanded as she brushed back the nurse's wet bangs from her eyes. "You've been unconscious for hours. We were about to bring you to a hospital."

Ami closed her eyes and tried to recapture her mushy thoughts. When the water moved again, she heard the older woman sigh, "You're very lucky, Ami. We barely made it to the warehouses.

"If we hadn't been in town and Luna hadn't called us in…" she trailed off.

The memories of the warehouse surged back to woman. There had been shooters, a flash of green, and the wisp of black…clouds? She scowled as the memories brought a small pain to her temple. Her skin twitched as she remembered the flames kissing her skin.

"Amara ripped open the ground to make a path to the sewer pipes. Sorry, I soaked you in less than clean water." She sounded genuinely apologetic.

Ami offered a minuscule shake of her head. The water pushed away from the small movement. "No, I would have died if you hadn't showed up. I'd rather take a billion showers than be in a coffin."

The older woman smiled in gratitude. Ami glanced around the room, her gaze lingering on the vase of yellow roses.

"We're in your pool," she stated curiously.

"You've been out for almost eight hours," Michelle replied. "We were worried that you had serious injuries. We wanted to bring you to a hospital, but we thought your injuries looked too suspicious, especially after the news reported a strange fire and broken pipe in the Blue Ridge Warehouses."

Ami giggled wearily, "Yea. I guess that might look odd. I doubt the doctors or nurses would have connected me to the occurrence, but why risk discovery."

"Relaxing in the pool always makes me feel better," Michelle continued politely. "I thought the best chance was to reacquaint you with your element."

Ami pushed her legs against the flow of water. Immediately, the currents died and allowed her to move on her own. Michelle quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and helped her stand in the shallow waters. Ami straightened unhurriedly and stared down at her midnight blue one-piece swimsuit. She was glad they had changed her out of her clothes. She would have hated to get the chlorine out of Mina's halter top. Looking up, she admired the other woman's teal and yellow frilled swimsuit.

"I knew it was you when I felt the water," Ami said wistfully. "It didn't feel like me. It felt…foreign."

Michelle titled her head to the side, "I never thought of that. I guess it would feel off for someone else to be playing with your element."

Ami's eyes dropped to study the undisturbed ripples in the water. She had never considered the possibilities of two women using the same element. There was a small difference between her and Michelle's gifts, but in essence the roots of their gifts lied in the water. Ami didn't have the overwhelming strength that Michelle had over the ocean waves, but she had always believed it was because the woman was older and more mature in her user abilities. She had unknowingly figured with time that she too would be able to control the tides.

"The others have been a nervous wreck since everything happened." Michelle's elegant voice broke through the nurse's musings. Ami looked up into her warm eyes. "It would be best that we show them you're awake. Do you feel up to it?"

Ami unconsciously rubbed her bruised cheek. Her fingers tenderly followed the edge of the bandage covering her bloody scratches. Everything felt so distant and far away. A sudden flash of the shadowed gunman made her body tense. Pulling her hand away, she gave the older woman a determined look. "Yes."

* * *

..

Her finger passed over the brown-black blotch covering her left forearm. She frowned as she accidentally stretched a patch of burnt skin. She only had a few minor burns and nothing felt broken. She would have to do a more thorough check over later. For now, she wanted to see her friends and make sure they were okay.

Grabbing the blouse off the elegant Chester drawers, the young woman hastily returned to getting dress. Ami anxiously tugged down on the Michelle's gray blouse. Turning, the young intern studied the way the dark plaid skirt accented her figure. It wasn't horrible, but she definitely didn't fill the old school uniform like Michelle did. With a small huff, Ami strode away from the full length mirror. This wasn't the time.

Leaving the room in a mad rush to escape the tempting mirrors, Ami stepped into the hall where Michelle was patiently waiting. The woman had already changed into a pleasant yellow sundress. "Do they fit?"

Ami kept her smile even at the innocent question. "They're fine. Thank you for letting me borrow this. I really wasn't in the mood to put that halter back on."

"You're welcome," she replied softly. With a graceful toss of her long hair, she began down the long empty corridor. Her simple white flip flops echoed loudly. "They're waiting in the sun room."

"Sure," Ami mumbled, hurrying after the older woman. Since she didn't know the way through the maze of halls, Ami hung back a little so Michelle could lead the way. She immediately noticed how the dress danced elegantly around the round curve of the woman's perfect calves. Ami's heart sank.

When they had first crossed path, it had been an earth shaking experience. It had been hard enough to believe that two people could share the same element, but to see a person with her element was harder. From the beginning, she had looked at Michelle as the woman she should have been.

Michelle was a wealthy heiress who had lost her parents when she had turned thirteen. Her grandmother had taken care of her until she had turned eighteen and inherited all of her parents' assesses, including their empty mansion of six-generations. Once she had begun to live in the estate, she had jumped immediately into her work as a professional violinist and painter. Magazines had published many articles over her success and never failed to mention her beauty in their many articles. Michelle was gorgeous, bold, sophisticated, and everything she wasn't.

Feeling completely inadequate, Ami had tried not to compete with the heiress, but unfortunately, Michelle hadn't caught the memo. Almost every time they were together, Michelle would unconsciously draw the young nurse into conversation that would leave disheartened. Michelle would direct her to her newest painting and all Ami could think was how she didn't have the courage to paint for fear of other people's dislike towards her work. When Michelle would mention a new admirer, Ami would count the days since her last date.

The final straw had been the innocent request for a water race due to their mutual joy of swimming. When Ami had gotten in the pool, she was so intimidated by the older woman that she had thrown the contest. The moment she had pulled out of the pool Michelle had stormed over with a furious expression. She thought Ami had intently let her win and as a woman who had been given everything in her life, she did not appreciate the gift. She called the young nurse out. Ami had immediately broken into tears and tore out of the huge mansion. Days later, after Michelle had talked to the girl's roommates, she had apologized for accusing her and politely requested a rematch. Ami had thanked her, but gently declined.

From there, the two had become distant friends. Their relationship wasn't close like she had with her roommates, but it was special in its own right.

"Are you sure up to this, Ami?"

The nurse nodded, "I'm fine."

Michelle eyed her, uncertain with how quiet her friend was. Ami grinned and stretched an arm towards the painting they were passing. "I love that stormy sea you painted. Did you do that recently?"

It was apparent on her face that Michelle knew she was changing the subject, but didn't mention it. Her green eyes glanced towards the enormous painting that stretched twenty feet across the white wall. "Yes, I finished it a month ago. It's called Neptune's Fury."

"Beautiful," Ami stated softly. Her eyes ducked beneath her bangs. _'Very beautiful.'_

Rounding a corner, the two women faced a large pair of white double doors. Pulling one of the handles, Michelle offered entrance to the nurse with a sweep of her arm. Ami hurried inside and smiled at the sight of all her friends reclining in white metal chairs amongst the most magnificent garden of flowers and sunshine. Upon the sound of the door, everyone had leapt from their seats, hoping to see their friend.

Serena was the first to break from formation and race towards her. Her blonde pigtails swung behind her as she surged forward and wrapped her arms around the blue-haired woman's shoulders. "Oh, Ami! I'm so glad you're awake!"

The others hurried to surround her, tears and smiles in their faces.

"Hey," Ami replied gently, her own eyes blinking back tears. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

"You sure, Ames?" Lita asked with wild eyes. "That beam was huge! And you look like you got a few burns."

"I'm standing. Aren't I?" Ami retorted playfully, holding up her arms. She forced a grin when they each gave her looks of concern. "It's all minor. Nothing a little rest and burn cream can't solve. What about you?"

The nurse quickly pointed towards the bandages circling Mina's wrist and Raye's ankle. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing as adventurous as your story." Mina replied. "We ran into gunmen at the warehouse we investigated. We were able to fend them off, but not without a few sprains."

"I'll look at them later," Ami offered before moving towards one of the chairs. The walk around the mansion had worn out her limited energy. She definitely needed to sleep, but there were more important matters. Seating down, the nurse nodded towards the other two women in the room who had remained in their seats upon her entrance.

The first was a short haired platinum blonde woman with hard blue eyes. She was wearing jeans and navy windbreaker. Her motorcycle helmet sat a few feet from her converse sneakers. Her smile was tight as she offered her normal silent greeting.

The second woman was slightly older looking than everyone in the room. Ami had never learned her age, but she guessed she was at least five years older. She had long dark hair that was almost deep green in the sunlight. Her haunting violet eyes were a stark contrast to her black blazer and white dress shirt.

"It's good to see you again, Amara and Trista." Ami greeted.

"Same too you," Trista, the long haired beauty replied lowly. "I'm glad to see you are well."

"Thank you. I'm very gracious for you to coming to my rescue. It always seems when we need bailing; you're there right behind us."

"A twist of fate, perhaps." Trista stated while lifting a tea cup to her pale lips. Ami studied the woman, wondering if there was some hidden acknowledgment in her words. Letting the moment pass without mention, the nurse watched as Michelle took a seat next to her blonde cousin. Soon the other girls followed.

"So what are you doing in town?" Serena began merrily. "I thought you were busy on tour, Amara. Don't you have a car race tomorrow?"

The blonde looked emotionlessly towards the blonde, "I'm on medical leave. There were important matters that brought us back home."

"Like what?" Raye asked, eyebrow raise. It took a lot for Amara to give up her races. It was, in short, what the girl lived for. Before she had license, she had done track and been the best in the district.

"That can be talked about later," Trista calmly interceded. Her violet eyes focused on the nurse. "What needs to be discussed is what happened back at the warehouses."

"Yes," Michelle agreed quickly. "Luna didn't give us any details, but she told us you needed immediate help. She mentioned something about possible gunfire."

Ami and Lita looked at each other. The brunette shrugged, "Maybe she heard me over the radio frequency, but I'm not sure how. We've only ever communicated with her over texts."

Ami agreed. Luna's identity was still an unnerving mystery. She had dropped into their lives like a rock falling out of the sky without any warning. She had contacted with one instant message across Ami's computer while they had a slumber party. After an hour of convincing, the unknown person had requested their special abilities to help a fire truck's efforts to put out a burning building. They wouldn't have listened if a mutual friend of theirs hadn't been at the address of the building. After that, the unknown hacker had begun to regularly call on them and sometimes even had casual conversations via text messages. All they knew was that the hacker had unnatural ability for knowing when trouble was rising. Ami guessed Luna was another person with supernatural abilities.

Ami leaned back in chair and ran shaky fingers through her damp bangs. "I think it was a set up."

Everyone tensed. Amara scowled, "Why?"

"I'm not sure," Ami huffed in frustration. Her mind raced with the shadowy image of the shooter. "It seems funny that gas barrels were in the warehouse. Gas is not normally shipped in such large quantities without being placed in storage facility that has a sprinkler system. The warehouses didn't have any nearby source of water. You, Amara, had to rip up the earth so Michelle could get to the pipes.

"Plus, the shooters we encounter didn't appear to have been in the middle of something when we arrived. It was like they were waiting for us.

"They even went so far as to shoot off our headsets. It's possible they were trying to take down our communication before they tried to…" Ami trailed off, her thoughts switching back to the image of the shooter staring down at her.

"To what?" Mina inquired. "To kill us?"

"Why wouldn't anyone try to kill anyone of us?" Raye asked, glancing at everyone. "I mean we have special gifts, but as far as anyone of us knows, that's not public knowledge."

"As far as we know," Ami whispered as she stared at the floor. "There's the possibility that someone from one of our pasts has come back to hunt us, but I don't think it was to kill us."

"How so?" Michelle prodded.

Ami sighed, "One of the shooters had the chance to kill me. I was pinned and he had the perfect shot. Instead, he left."

"He left you to die!" Lita growled. "You were pinned and surrounded by flames, Ames. He thought the flames would get you."

Ami wasn't so sure. "Maybe. Even if he thought I would die, than who was he? There's no one I know who would go through such measures to kill _me_. There's no logic in it."

"Ami listen," Serena commanded firmly. The nurse looked anxiously towards her dearest friend. The blonde leaned her arms on her knees. "It is not logical for a girl to freeze water with a flip of her wrist. It's not logical for a woman to command the earth to tear apart. It's not logical for anyone of us here to have these supernatural gifts."

"Meatball head has a point," Raye hurried to add, shifting closer to the edge of her seat. "The only reason it's illogical is because there's something going on that we don't know."

Lita sighed loudly, "Great. How are we supposed to figure that out? As it is, Ami nearly got kill, we don't who the shooters were, and there the scrap of evidence to help us."

Ami closed her eyes wearily, "Yea."

"Something will turn up," Amara encouraged with an emotionless tone. "If their agenda was to harm anyone, then they'll come back to finish the job. What we need to do is keep our guard up."

"Agreed," Mina replied while turning to her roommates. "Besides, there's not much else we could do."

Trista placed her teacup down on a small table and intertwined her fingers. Michelle and Amara looked to her, knowing that regal posture. It was the moment before Trista began something important.

"With that settled," Trista began loudly. "I believe its time to discuss why we've arrived back in town."

The five other girls perked up immediately. Trista gave a wry grin before taking a deep breath, "We've found a new girl."

The words passed through air like a cold knife. Muscles grew tense as heart thumped. Ami swallowed the lump clogging her throat.

"A new girl?" Lita's voice was uneven. "There's another."

Trista hesitated, "Yes."

"But this girl is different," Amara hurried to say. Her tone had a hard edge. "She's…special."

Serena fidgeted, "What do you mean 'special'?"

The violinist exhaled deeply, "Her gift is very…dangerous."

"Okay, let's stop this beating around the bush," Raye suddenly stated hotly, narrowing her eyes on the three older women. "What's the deal with this girl?"

Trista glanced to her travel buddies. Amara nodded before crossing her arms.

"She's very ill," Trista grimly answered, leaning back in her chair. The lilies behind her head almost appeared to wilt with the growing dread in the air. "Her gift is killing her."

"What do you mean?" Ami gasped, hand over her heart.

"She's only ten years old. She doesn't have complete control over her powers so it's involuntarily affecting her."

There were several exchanged looks. "What is her gift?"

"Plus, her abilities are more powerful than any of our put together. Michelle can turn tides and Amara can cause earthquakes, but this girl is stronger than that."

Ami's heart slowed. She looked the other woman square in the eyes and heavily repeated the single question, "What is her gift?"

Trista inhaled deeply before calmly saying, "Death."

A shadow passed over their hearts as the girls tried to swallow large bouts of air. Ami clenched the armrests of her seat as the room spun. Surely, it was a mistake. No one could possibly bear such a weighted responsibility.

"You can't be serious!" Ami whispered, studying the women. "That can't be possible!"

"Is any of this possible?" Trista replied. "By the rules of this world, none of this is possible."

Lita glanced around at everyone, "B-But how do we handle something like this? I mean what do we do?"

"That's what we need to discuss," Trista replied, looking towards the nurse. Ami tensed at the way the other woman was focusing her attention on her. "This girl needs to see a doctor."

"I'm only an intern!" Ami rushed out, her eyes wide. Everyone was looking to her with hope. Once again she felt very small under their scrutiny. "You know I've been trying for years to understand how abilities relate to us on the biological level, but I've never been close to figuring it out."

Trista smiled knowingly, "Ami, you're the only one. We could ask your mother, but you're the one who's been studying this field intensely for the last seven years."

"Besides," Amara interrupted curtly. "Your mother has no defense against her. You, at least, have something."

Raye spun around, "I'm sorry, but I didn't notice Ami's can of Death-Be-Gone. You're asking her to go into a high risk danger zone."

"It's not an outrageous request!" Amara snapped. "We have had no trouble being in close contact with the girl."

Michelle put a hand on her cousin's arm, silently telling her calm down. Amara said something her breath and shifted stiffly in her seat. Michelle looked to the nervous blue-haired woman. "She's been in our company for the last week. As it is, she's upstairs sleeping. I promise you Ami we're not asking you to do anything we haven't done. We just wanted to help the poor child. Out of everyone, you know how our gifts aren't something we choose."

Ami stopped breathing while Serena pitched forward, "Hey! That's unnecessary!"

Michelle coolly stared up at the blonde, "I'm only stating facts so the girl can get some needed medical attention. I don't want to start anything."

"Well that's low," Serena's expression was fowl. When she saw Ami's eyes grow glassy, the blonde woman curled her fists. She glared angrily down at the teal haired woman. "I understand you want help, but don't blackmail us."

Amara hastily stood, towering over the blonde. Amara was very close to her cousin and wouldn't let anyone bully her. As it was, there was still a pressing line drawn between Serena and Amara that often brought the two butting heads.

As the unspoken leader of her trio group, the racer didn't appreciate Serena stepping into her zone. Amara would take every chance to control the situation, especially when they contributed to joint missions with the younger girls. If it was possible, however, Amara sought as little help as she could afford from them. It wasn't that she hated the girls; she just didn't think they were fully capable of taking on missions. Overall, she would rather not deal with them.

Luckily for the time being, Trista decided to step into the conversation and stop the oncoming fight between the two leaders.

"It is not our intention to blackmail anyone," Trista soothed while leaning over to the nurse's chair. She gently placed her hand over the younger woman's clenched hand and waited for her blue eyes to lift. Ami stared mutely at the woman's chin, unable to look any higher. "We wish no ill feelings towards you, Ami, but options for this child."

Ami thought of her dead cat numbly and her old room covered in snow. Then she thought of her father saying his final goodbye. Gradually, she was able to look Trista in the eye. The woman smiled tentatively, "Please, Ami. This little girl is special to us."

_'She's only a child…barely had the chance to live.'_ There were dangers, but that's what happened everyday in her life. When she went on missions, she was never certain she would come back alive. All she thought about we're the people she was helping by being there. This was no different. Her abilities were needed and she would not let fear keep her from helping.

"Okay," she replied with a strong voice. "I'll help."

Michelle smiled.

"You don't have to do this," Lita reminded her roommate.

Ami turned, "I know."

"Thank you," Trista offered in respect of her team. She immediately nodded over to her teal teammate.

Michelle caught the signal and stood, "I'll show you to her."

* * *

..

Quietly, Ami followed the other water maiden up the huge marble staircase. With each step, Ami anxiously clenched and unclenched her fingers. The second floor landing loomed up ahead. All the curtains were drawn in the long corridor, allowing only thin shaft of light inside and illuminate the hallway. The dark contrast to the previously bright sunroom was unnerving to the short nurse. Reaching the top of the stairs, she swallowed.

Michelle continued forward, failing to notice the other woman's slight hesitation. As they passed the many paintings, Ami studied the mix of color and shapes to distract her worried mind. Though the pieces were mostly of flowers and beaches, Ami's heart did not slow. Desperate, she tried to strike up conversation.

"So, Michelle," her voice came out a little uneven. "How did you find this girl?"

"Amara's last race was raising money for a charity. The charity was for hospitalized orphans. She and several of the racers went to the hospital to give toys to kids. When she got there, she discovered the girl was quarantined."

"Really?" Ami perked up. "Why?"

Michelle sighed, "Several of the people who came into contact with her would abruptly contract fatal diseases."

"Like what?"

"Emphysema, mesothelioma, AIDS, organ failure, various cancers, tumors…"

"So different?"

"As we said, her ability is connected to death. It's possible each of the victims already had the early stages of their diseases and she was the catalyst."

"Possible, but it's just so strange."

"Yes. Imagine how she feels. Every person she comes close to ends up painfully ill," Michelle's voice wavered. "She's miserable."

"And she's only ten." Ami's chest constricted. "If she was quarantine, how did you get permission to bring her here?"

"I adopted her."

Ami's feet faltered. "What? How did you manage that? Usually adoption agency will only allow married couples adopt."

"Easy. I'm twenty-five with a high income. I have a good background with nothing suspicious on paper. I mentioned I had strong concern for the girl and could foot her medical bills they were more than happy to round up the paperwork."

Michelle slowed at one of the dark redwood doors. Ami watched as Michelle paused. With a wry smile, the woman glanced towards the blue-haired girl. "No one had offered to adopt her in the entire six years she was with the hospital. Her medical bills were rising faster than the company could keep up. In a sense, I was the first to want her."

Her hand rose towards the silver handle, but Ami's next question stopped her. "How did her parents die?"

Michelle stared numbly at the door before stretching out and gripping the twist of silver metal.

"Heart failure," she whispered before silently opening the door. Ami blinked back her tears. To think, the child was responsible for her parents death was beyond heart breaking. The nurse silently followed into the dimly lit room, a new determination in her soul.

Closing the door behind her, Ami faced a short entry hall that was held numerous postcard sized paintings. A large purple vase of sunflowers sat further inside alongside of a full length mirror. There appeared to have no lights on, but there was distinct blue glow covering the walls and the sound of radio filtered voices. Hurrying to follow Michelle, Ami stepped out of the hall into full view of the enormous bedroom.

The room's walls were a peaceful sea green with nice white pinstripes, a sign of Michelle's touch. There were numerous stuff animals lining the back wall and a striking writing desk nearby. A large trunk was covered with a colorful wool blanket and a stack of folded clothes. Next to it, a white dresser sat with a few framed photographs of unknown people and a wicker basket holding a newly cut bouquet. The television was tuned into the news and was sitting in a tall entertainment center. At the center of the room's attention, there was a red oak canopy bed with white sheers tied to the posts.

One of the posts blocked her view so taking another step forward, Ami anxiously peeked through the sheers. Michelle had already leaned over the side of the bed, her teal hair spilling down pass her chin. "Hotaru, there is someone here I want you to meet."

Ami drifted to the foot of the bed, her eyes pinned on the small figure tucked beneath the pale yellow comforter. Her breath caught the instant she saw the pale face turn in her direction. A thin arm lifted up from the comforter to mute the television.

"This is Ami Mizuno. She's learning to become a doctor."

Glassy indigo eyes blinked and then she smiled.

"Hello, Miss Mizuno." Her voice was faint, but it didn't sound weak, just tired. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ami's heart skipped, "The pleasure is all mine, Hotaru."

Her short hair was the blackest of ebony against the white pillow. Her skin was a chalky white, holding only the faintest blush across her cheeks. There wasn't any sign of sweat or odd coloring, but Ami could easily tell from the glassy look in the girl's eyes that she was in significant pain, especially with how her chest heaved.

Michelle watched the blue-haired woman expectantly. Shifting, Ami leisurely walked around the bed, her senses wide and on edge. She didn't how to search for the mysterious essence of the girl's gift so she was fearful of overstepping her boundaries. She knew she had to grow closer to the child, but she still wished there was some large red light of caution. Michelle relinquished her position to the nurse and Ami faced the skinny child of death. Carefully, Ami took a seat on the edge of the mattress and took a closer study of the girl. She saw nothing deserving of new interest.

"How do you feel, Hotaru?" she asked gently.

"I'm a little tired." The girl moved into a sitting position. When she pushed down the comforter, a small teddy bear came into view. Ami's eyes stopped when she saw the doll and immediately thought of her dead cat, Aethra. Her focus quickly lifted when the girl kept speaking.

"My chest feels tight and my head hurts, but that's normal." She shrugged.

Amy stretched out for the girl's wrist, "Normal?"

"Yes," Hotaru automatically offered her arm. Ami was unprepared for her to lift up her wrist so their fingers accidentally brushed together. A jolt passed through the young woman and Ami jerked backwards. When Hotaru's smile drooped, the nurse regretted her reaction. She hastily grabbed the child's wrist, shocking her and the small girl. Ami was shocked to see that her hand was such a warm color in comparison to the child's white one. Calmly, the nurse lifted her face and offered a grin as an apology.

"Do you have trouble breathing?" Ami questioned, pressing affection into her tone as she checked the child's pulse.

"Sometimes."

"Do you have asthma?"

"Yes."

"Do you have an inhaler?"

"Yes."

"Do you have headaches often?"

"Several everyday."

"Do you take medication?"

"Not really. Only painkillers help, but I'm not prescribed very much."

"Do you have any nausea?"

"Not often, but it does happen."

"Do you ever throw up after you've eaten?"

"No. Not really."

"Have you ever felt faint headed?"

"Yes."

"Ever had black outs?"

"Yes."

"How often?"

"At least twice a week."

"How long have you had these symptoms?"

"Since I can remember."

Ami shook her head, totally perplexed. Her pulse was weak, but not life threatening. Releasing her wrist, Ami slid her hand down and grip the child's fingers. Hotaru blinked several time, shocked to see anyone hold her hand longer than necessary. "What did the doctors think was wrong with you?"

Hotaru looked up. "One time they thought it was cancer, but the said their tests didn't show anything. The next time they said I had a liver disease, but a specialist denied it. After that, I lost track."

"They still don't have any idea?"

The little girl shook her head as she clutched her small teddy. "No."

Ami's shoulder fell. There wasn't much for her to go on. Her symptoms didn't tell her much and her doctor's lack of idea was unnerving. If there was anything to be discovered, it was definitely somewhere in the mystery of her gift.

"I'm going to need a blood sample," Ami said to Michelle. Glancing back to the little girl, Ami smiled gently, "But that's only if you are willing, Hotaru. I won't force you to do anything."

Hotaru tilted her head and pressed her cheek wearily against her pillow. She was the picture of pity. "Why do you want my blood?"

"I want to help you get better," Ami replied, pushing back the girl's bangs. Her thumb tenderly rubbed over her pale cheek. "I might be able to figure it out by looking at your blood."

Hotaru closed her eyes and turned her face out of reach of the woman's fingers.

"No one can figure out what's wrong with me," she whispered sullenly. "People have taken my blood lots of time. Besides, aren't you just a nurse? How will you figure out what a lot of doctors couldn't?"

She understood the small girl's frustration. Being poked and prodded all her life wasn't the most comfortable way of life. In truth, it was down right miserable.

Ami gave the girl a knowing expression, "I'm special like you, Hotaru."

The girl's face swiveled towards her and momentarily glanced past the nurse's shoulders at the violinist. "Special like Auntie and me?"

Ami giggled at the sight of the little child's excited eyes. "Yep. Just like Auntie."

Hotaru's face became bright, "Okay. I'll let you have my blood."

"Thank you." Ami leaned back and looked at the silent woman beside her. "I don't want to bring her to the hospital. She'll be in contact with too many people."

"That's okay," Michelle headed to the joint bathroom Ami had failed to notice upon entering the room. "We prepared for your coming."

A few minutes later, the teal-headed woman appeared with a small black leather bag. She held out to the young nurse. Ami took the bag and curiously opened the item. She was shocked to find several medical tools, including test tubes and a needle. Pulling out the needle, she shook her head. "Did you swipe this?"

"Doctor offered it. Said it might be important to keep track of her blood and send samples in for testing in cause her condition worsened."

"Glad they were so thoughtful," Ami loosely commented, pulling off the plastic cover. She checked over the instrument, convinced it was sterile and didn't need substitution. She leaned over to the small child. "I'll go to the hospital later this afternoon once I've gotten some needed sleep. Hopefully, I can find something the other doctors couldn't."

"We have faith in you, Ami." Michelle whispered firmly. "We know you'll figure it out."

"I don't know, Michelle. I'm just an intern, remember."

"You'll figure it out."

The needle dipped into the child's pale skin, never earning a wince from the girl. Ami's heart wilted with doubt. _'I'm not so sure, Michelle. I can't solve every mystery that comes up. I'm might be a twenty-two year old super hero, but I'm not a miracle worker.'_

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_ **A/N: Since I got this chapter out super fast, I'm not sure how soon I'm going get the next one out. I totally beat because I've been up several nights on a writing frenzy. Plus, I have friends coming from out of town to visit for the weekend and I'm making a run to my parents' around Wed. Where I'll find time to write, I'm unsure. Hopefully it will be out in a couple weeks. Maybe sooner if I get another creative rush.  
**_


	5. Under the Microscope

_**A/N: No sure if I shall continue this story. Not sure if there's enough interest to keep it going. Tell me what you think.**  
_

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_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

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_Chapter 5: Beneath the Microscope_

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The bright red numbers on the digital clock glared angrily at the weary nurse. Ami combed her hair with her fingers as she glanced towards the night sky pass the window. She hadn't meant to be here this late. Five hours of sleep was not enough to fuel her brain to think properly. Ami knew this, but instead she downed another cup of hot caffeine and persisted through her research. She knew there wasn't a concrete time limit to her madness. Hotaru was ill, but had been for years. There was nothing to suggest she was going to kill over at seven that evening. Yet, Ami could not find the will to tear away from the table of paper and blood samples.

Her heavy ball pen scrawled nearly illegible characters across various forms, evidence of her exhaustion. She scanned the neighboring diagram and pulled her lower lip under her teeth. Exhaling loudly, she crossed out her most recent note and drew an arrow to a drawing of a water molecule. She glanced over the patch of writings. She cursed softly beneath her breath and shoved away from the table. Turning her back on the four and half hours of work, the nurse pitched her nose. _'I'm not getting anywhere.'_

It was a fruitless effort. She was an advanced student of biology—she was three years ahead of her peers—but it was outrageous to believe she could unravel something so complex. A person couldn't put the essence of death under the microscope!

Ami angrily walked away from those thoughts. She couldn't allow herself to be pulled down by doubt. Negative self-esteem would keep her from progress. Not that she believed she was going to make any spectacular discovery tonight that years of study had failed to produce. She had over three thick spiral notebooks filled with diagrams and chemical equations plus a pocket book of special notes. The work load was heavy, but there was still chance she would think of something she missed.

Her eyes involuntarily drifted to the potted yellow tulip next to the blood samples next to the blood samples on the overhead shelf. She ideally wondered who had brought in the cute flower. There were four other interns that shared this particular lab room with her. The dozen of photos and full shelves of binders scattered through the room were proof of their unseen presence. In her little corner, she had several framed pictures of her and the girls, but she had never brought flowers. Maybe she should start.

Ami angrily shook her head. She shouldn't be so distracted. Shoulders dropping, the young nurse swiveled her head to side and stared at the long stretch of the dry-erase board. Across the length of white, there were nine multi-colored columns of notes. Each set of notes represented her and the ring of girls she knew that had these special abilities. It had taken seven years to formulate each case study endless calculations. The last set, which was in black marker, was the most recent addition and the least developed.

Ami wearily headed to the front end of the white board, her eyes centered on the navy column with the overhead title "MERCURY." Underneath the lengthy writing were numerous chemical formulas including melting and freezing points of water molecules. She cocked her head pensively as she picked up the navy marker and underlined one of the equations. She hesitantly pulled back the marker and stared at notes.

When she had first started her research, she had kept her notes under a dubious title for security measures. Her mother had constantly warned her about revealing her gift to others, explaining that selfish men would exploit her and possible put her through unwanted experimentation. At the beginning of her first case study, she had been obsessed with Greek mythology and its connection to astrology. Since her gift was close to god-like, the young teenager had put her research under the title for the first planetary goddess. She knew with such a title her paperwork could easily be excused for astrological study, chemical analysis, or various other assumptions. Only a truly curious person would look inside and see her real work. Once seen, it wouldn't take long to realize the study was on a person, not a planet or an element on the periodic table.

With each newly discovered person, a new case study was begun under another planetary title. She decided to do a random order when she designated planets to each case study to keep stray eyes guessing. It was weak defense, but she didn't care. By the point that she had reached five case studies, she was convinced no one would bother reading her complex notes.

She dropped the marker back onto the table. Her eyes strayed down the board, spotting a similarity beneath the column marked "MARS" for Raye. Ami hurried to the red marker and underlined the chemical equation for combustion of methane. Her hand dropped away as her head swiveled between columns.

Ami exhaled noisily and brought the paper cup back to her lips. The hot coffee swirled over her tongue, the taste of vanilla coating her tongue. The door creaked open, startling the nurse. She narrowly saved her clean sea-green scrubs from her coffee as she jerked forward.

"Ami?"

She carefully spun, coffee outstretched from her body. "Hey, Mom."

Standing in the open doorway was a tall woman with vibrant dark blue hair in a fashionable crop hairstyle. She was wearing a simple gray skirt and yellow shirt under her white hospital coat. There was a clipboard in the crook of her arm while her free hand clutched the door's handle. The forty-two year old woman studied the intern's irritated expression. Leaning further into the room, she noticed the table of blood samples and stacks of papers. Her smoky blue-gray eyes narrowed, but Ami was too busy putting down her coffee cup to notice. "You okay?"

"Yea," she grumbled, wiping her mouth clean of stray coffee. "Just a little tired."

The older woman stepped further into room, letting the door click softly behind her. "Didn't I tell you to take the day off? I could have sworn I told you to not put a single toe into the hospital."

_'Yea, but has that ever stopped me from working?'_' Ami thought grimly before standing straighter. She smiled warmly at her mother, admiring how regal her mother stood in her clean white coat and MD label on her blue name tag. Ami was overwhelmed with pride to see her mother working as head doctor of the west wing of the hospital. "It's not for the hospital."

Her mother's scowl deepened, "What exactly?"

Ami anxiously shifted her weight between her heels as her eyes unconsciously darted towards the innocent tulip on the shelf. She knew how her mother would react once she heard what she was doing. A lie was tempted to escape her lips, but she hastily closed her mouth to save face. She didn't want to lie to her. Ami ducked her eyes behind her bangs as she reached for a clipboard of blood tests.

"We found another girl today," she replied, her tone tentative. Keeping her eyes down, the intern flipped several pages over her clip board. "I'm comparing her blood samples to mine and the others."

She heard her mother sigh and her black flats slap across the floor. "I thought you were done with this."

"I'll never be done with it, Mom." Ami's wistful eyes looked up at her mother's concerned face. "You know that."

Her mother hung her head. Ami's stomach twisted when she saw the dark circled under her mother's eyes. She must have been working graveyard shifts again. The doctor gave her daughter a calculated look, "I just don't want you obsessing over this again. The last time you worked on this stuff you spent over thirty hours in the lab without sleep or food."

Ami shook her head and calmly threw her clipboard over onto her notes. She calmly looked her mother in the eyes. "You know Greg broke up with me the day before. I was upset and when I'm upset I like to work. It keeps my mind busy from thinking about why I'm upset."

"It's not healthy," her mother's lips fell into a tight line. "You wouldn't listen to anyone the entire time you locked yourself in here."

"I know," she heaved out wearily. "I'm sorry about that, but I promise this isn't a relapse."

Her mother searched her eyes, wanting to believe her daughter, though still afraid. Every since she had discovered her daughter's abilities, she had been terrified of the consequences. She wasn't afraid of her daughter. She was afraid rather that someone would tear her little girl from her arms and stick her under a plate of thick glass. Doctor Mizuno was no fool. If anyone caught wind of her daughter's gift, Ami would be lost to the media, authorities, or experimental clinics. Ami had been blessed enough to find others like her, but how long before someone _normal_ discovered her? Even worse, was it possible her daughter's research would be the foundation for scientists' furthered experimentations?

"I promise, Mom. This isn't for me."

Mrs. Mizuno's chin lifted. "What do you mean?"

Ami pulled one of her binders from the shelf neighboring her table of microscopes and lab equipment. She flipped through a few pages before switching to her clipboard. Finding the needed form, she handed the clipboard to her mother. Dr. Mizuno reached out and hesitantly took the clipboard. She glanced up at her daughter's calm face before skimming over the completed form.

"The girl that we found is very sick," Ami narrated the form's analysis. "It's a negative affect of her gift. I'm trying to discover a cure."

Dr. Mizuno stared at her daughter over the top of the clipboard. There was something unnerving in her mother's eyes that made Ami cringe. "A cure? What kind of a cure?"

Ami scowled, "What _kind_ of a cure? She's terminally ill, Mom. I'm trying to find something to save her life."

"By doing what?" Her mother's voice was stony. "By purifying her body?"

She handed the clipboard back to her daughter. Ami stared at her mother, totally perplexed by the way she was fuming. "I don't understand."

"The girl's gift is the source of her illness, correct?"

Ami hesitated, "Yes."

"No matter what medicine or therapy you give her, the girl will continue to be sick because her gift is the root of the problem. Correct?"

"Yes." Ami had a hunch where her mother was going, but she didn't understand why she was so upset. Ami was shocked to see tears glitter in her mother's eyes.

Dr. Mizuno inhaled a deep breath to steady her nerves, "Are you trying to reverse her gift? Are you trying to…change her into a normal girl?"

The young nurse stiffened, "Well, I…"

Her voice trailed off when her mother shook her head. Her mother was looking at her in disappointment. The nurse's blue eyes silently pleaded with the older woman, "What else should I do?"

The nurse stared at the girl's profile in her hands, "She's only ten, Mom. All of her life, she has lived with death as her bedfellow. The hospitals have given up on her as a hopeless mystery."

Her chest squeezed as she remembered the painful image of the small girl's pale face. She tried to imagine how it must have felt to be surrounded by despair and failure. It must have been overwhelming at such a young age. Ami lifted her eyes, her own tears glistening on her eyelashes. "I'm not trying to repeat anything. I told you two years ago that I stopped fighting what I am. I have not broken that vow. All I want is to give this little girl a fighting chance at life."

Dr. Mizuno's body immediately relaxed and she heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm so sorry, Ami. I didn't mean to jump to conclusions. It just..."

Her mother hesitated, "It just you have never dealt with this research with ease. You've had some bumps in the road—"

"Mom, please," Ami insisted, her body heaving with exhaustion from the last twenty four hours. "I thought we had moved pass this."

"I've been worried about you," her mom hurried to finish. "You've been working so many hours here at the hospital. Your grades are excellent as always, but you're friends have mentioned you don't get to hang out with them as much."

"Have you been calling Serena again?"

"You're always studying."

"Medical school is demanding," Ami groaned while spinning on her heels. "You know that."

"That doesn't mean you bury yourself," Dr. Mizuno stated. "When was the last time you had a date?"

"We're not having this conversation again." Ami was unyielding as she stood over her piles of notes. "You said you wouldn't bring it up again."

"I want to know that my baby girl is alright."

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

Ami exhaled in exasperation. Running her fingers through her messy hair, she hung her head and stared blindly at nothing. "I don't know what else to tell you. We've been through this dozens of time."

She calmly smiled up at the older woman, ignoring the sadness in her mother's eyes.

"I'm happy, Mom," she whispered. "I might not have a boyfriend or any love interests, but I have friends. More importantly, I have friends who give a darn about me."

Dr. Mizuno's eyes dropped. She was ashamed for pushing her daughter so hard. She didn't mean to push. "You know I want you to be as happy as possible, right?"

The older woman felt her daughter's slim fingers intertwine with hers. The surgeon stared down into her daughter's eyes and found the strength of a tired woman staring back at her. "I know. Don't worry about me, Mom."

"Like that will ever happen," the woman laughed softly. "I'm a mother. It comes with the territory."

Ami rolled her eyes, "I know."

Dr. Mizuno giggled and wrapped an arm around her girl's shoulders. Her blue-gray eyes twinkled, "I was talking to Mina's mother the other day. She said Mina's cousin was moving into the city. Maybe you could show him around?"

"Mom!" Ami whined, her voice sounded ten years younger than she actually was.

"Jedite's very handsome!" her mother rushed out, pulling out a small three-by-four photo. "He's blonde! You prefer blondes."

Ami giggled and lightly pushed her mother towards the door. "My schedule is too busy to include boys right now!"

The doctor strode to the door, but momentarily stopped at the end of the covered table to drop the small photo. She smiled knowingly at her daughter. "His phone number is on the back."

Smiling, Ami stretched out her arm and pointed to the door, "Out."

Dr. Mizuno followed her daughter's command and quietly ducked out of the lab, "Don't work too hard."

Ami shook her head and swiveled back to her work. She should have known her mom would find her sooner or later today. Her mother was excellent of keeping track of what transpired in her wing of the hospital and it was only a matter of time before she spotted her daughter's name scribbled on the lab hours request form.

Ami smiled whimsically.

It was a curse and a blessing to work in such close quarters with her mother. Even with her limited free time, Ami was always promised time with her. Maybe sometimes it would just be a pass in the hall, but it was time nonetheless. The only problem with working with her was that meant her mother had the perfect opportunities to keep up with her daughter's everyday life. Being a mother, Dr. Mizuno had knack for keeping in the loop with daughter, even when Ami wasn't very forthcoming. One time, her mother had found out a guy had been sending flowers to her daughter all from casually visiting a flower shop. Ami was a bit curious if it possible her mother had inherited her own special gift of ESP.

Ami began surveying her notes again. She needed to remember she was on a time limit and was standing knee deep in research. Unfortunately, her eyes strayed to the end of the table where the glossy photograph expectantly sat. The idea of a handsome date gnawed at her attention. She knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate until she looked at the man's face. Swallowing a small laugh in her throat, the nurse strode over and picked up the photo.

With the quality of the photo and the emblem in the bottom right hand corner, it looked like a magazine shot. A man in his early twenty was reclining on the hood of a hot red 1969 Ford Mustang Coupe. His legs were crossed on the ankle and his lazy smirk brought out the dimples in his cheeks. His ice blue eyes were staring pass the camera with his short blonde hair falling into his gaze. The sunset was casting an orange glow over the scene in the perfect romantic scene.

Ami mentally shrugged, _'I prefer long hair.'_

There was a knock at the door that caused the girl to hastily shove the picture into the pocket of her scrubs. She spun to face her visitor as the door creaked open. To her surprise, a familiar head of beautiful teal hair peeked inside.

"Hey," Ami greeted, her tone confused. "What are you doing here?"

Seeing the other girl, Michelle entered the rest of the way through the door. She returned the nurse's smile as she closed the door. "I wanted to see how you were doing. I called your house a short while ago and Lita said you had been here for several hours. They were about to come a check on you, but I offered to do it."

"Oh," Ami headed back to the center of her notes. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm quite alright. I'm taking a couple of painkillers and the nap I took did a lot of good."

Michelle's footsteps followed close behind, "I also came to apologize."

The dark haired woman stopped and gave her questioning look, "Apologize?"

"For earlier," Michelle glanced down sullenly. "I didn't mean any offense when I pushed you to help Hotaru."

Ami shook her head, "There's no need to apologize. I understand you were desperate to help her. I probably would have done the same thing."

"Even still, I want to offer my apology all the same," Michelle insisted politely. "You have never been outspoken against any one of us in the years we have known each other. You don't deserve our harsh words."

Warmth swelled in the nurse's chest as stared at the woman for several moments, "I appreciate it. Thank you."

Michelle nodded, her beautiful lashes kissing her high cheekbones. "You're welcome."

Ami quietly smiled before hunching over her notes again. She rifled through several pages before pulling a sheet from the largest pile. "I haven't made much progress with my research. Hotaru's blood sample didn't reveal anything new for me."

Michelle's expression fell. She looked like a goddess who had lost her true love.

"Nothing?" the violinist pleaded.

Ami gloomily stared down at the paper in her hands, "The tests I ran were inconclusive to any of my assumptions. I can identify multiple illnesses in her blood, but as the doctors before must have realized there's no visible connection, especially to her family history.

"I can stretch a connection between water and me, but water has a chemical makeup I can trace. Death is like connecting the wind to Trista. There is outward physical proof. Wind is invisible, but we know its there because it pushes leaves around. Death is invisible, but we know Hotaru is producing it because of the extreme death rate surrounding her."

Suddenly, the dark haired woman snapped her face up. The small puzzle piece in her head had fallen into place. Her eyes narrowed on the small potted flower next to her row of test tubes. The first tube marked "Saturn #1" in bright red marker burned into the girl's brain. Leaning forward on one hand, Ami studied the tulip, easily noticing the browning leaves. Her finger reached out and carefully pressed down on the delicate leaf. It crunched delicately under the pressure.

Michelle was too busy trying vainly to read the medical vocabulary of the notes written across the forms. "What are you getting at?"

Ami eagerly grabbed the crook of the woman's elbow. Michelle was startled to see the excited sparkle in the nurse's blue eyes. "I figured something out."

She pointed towards the browning tulip, "The flower is reacting to Hotaru's blood."

Michelle frowned, "So? Isn't that just another example of invisible presence of death? Like your example with wind?"

"Yes, but think Michelle," Ami hastily commanded as she flipped through the girl's medical records. She quickly found a long paragraph of doctors' comments. "Some of Hotaru's doctors wrote down that gift of flowers given to Hotaru would die rapidly. In less than twenty four hours, her flowers would be 'a dying brown.' They thought her illness was an airborne chemical abnormality. The plants were dying because of her gift."

The nurse looked to the other woman, "Michelle, when I was in Hotaru's room I saw flowers sitting in various spots. None of them appeared to have been there long, but they also didn't appear to be dying."

"Are you saying she's already cured?" Michelle leaned forward, her tone uplifted.

"No," Ami replied, immediately bringing a gloomy shadow over her friend. "But it suggests that perhaps, Hotaru is learning to better control her ability. It's possible that all she needs."

"Control?" Michelle studied the tulip. "Are you sure?"

Ami sighed, "I'm not sure if there's anything else we could do. I haven't gotten any closer with my research and I haven't any other idea on what else to do. This is the only apparent option."

"But how do we teach her control?" Michelle insisted.

"The same we taught ourselves," Ami stretched out her arms. "We are experienced teachers. All we have to do is be a little extra careful with Hotaru. After all, it will be like we would be playing with death."

The nurse began to pile up her papers and slipping them back into the heavy manila folders. "You could use flowers for targets. Set her up in a room with plenty of space so you won't get caught up in the attack if she should lose concentration."

"That's it?" Michelle watched her dumbly as she slid binders back onto the shelf and shoved a handful of folders into a shoulder bag. "Don't you think more should be done? I mean what if something goes wrong? Shouldn't we search other options?"

Ami threw the strap of her bag over her head. She stared unwavering at the older woman, "Like what?"

The violinist faltered, "Well, I don't know."

Ami's eyes softened as she continued to tidy up her desk. "Michelle, the only other option I see is somehow separating her from her gift, but I don't have the smallest idea on how to do such. Besides, I'm not sure that should be an option."

The confusion in the other woman's eyes prompted the nurse to continue. Ami sighed while dropping her clipboard on top of her high stack of papers. "Is it right to call her gift a curse? To make it out to be something to be extinguished?"

When her last folder wouldn't fit into her bag, she tucked it into her elbow. "I'm not ready to so easily discard something bestowed only by God's hands."

Sharp eyes carefully scrutinized her, "You're serious."

Ami frowned, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"If I remember correctly," Michelle began slowly. "You were the one who—"

"Oh, yes. Of course," Ami waved hastily, ready to dismiss the entire subject before it started. "That's hardly the point. This is about Hotaru, not me."

The teal headed violinist's face saddened, but she kept her silence about the stale subject. "Well, I suppose teaching Hotaru control is a proper course of action. I didn't think there were many options any way. Do you think we will see any immediate results?"

Ami shrugged as she held the door open for her friend. "There's no way to know. I'll set aside some time, however, later this week to see if she shows any improvement."

"Thank you, Ami." Michelle gushed softly, her voice elegant as ever. "You can't imagine how much I appreciate this."

"It's no problem," the nurse humbly replied. Flipping the overhead light off and locking the door, Ami lead her friend down to the elevators. "I would have still done it in the end most likely. No one can deny the face of that little girl."

Michelle's lengthy strides lagged to match the shorter woman's. "Even so, I want to give you proper thanks. It's not much, but how about we get a cup of coffee and catch up on each other's social lives?"

Ami propped open a door marked "_GIRL'S LOCKERS_" and signaled for Michelle to enter. The violinist glanced uncertainly to her friend before stepping forward. Inside the empty room, there were pale blue, full-length, metal lockers lining the dull, gray walls. Ami immediately went to the back of the room and spun the pad lock's dial. Swinging the locker open, she pulled off her lab coat and returned it to its hanger.

"Not sure if I should have some caffeine," Ami commented while pulling out her large handbag and wool coat. She stuffed her folders into her bag and swung on her warm coat. When she saw the other woman's evident disappointment, she hastily said, "But I would love to grab a smoothie."

A small smile, one of old sorrow, grew across Michelle pale face. "Great."

Together they quietly made their way back to the front of the hospital circular desk. Ami signed out and offered her normal, quiet goodbye to the rest of the staff.

"Stop working so hard, Ami," Molly, a heavy set nurse, instructed sternly. "You're looking a little too thin. Are you forgetting meals again?"

Ami's blue eyes twinkled merrily at the older woman's motherly nature. "Don't worry, Molly. Lita is planning to cook for the next week. You know how much I love her cooking."

"Alright," Molly narrowed her jade eyes. "But if you don't get color back in your cheeks, I'm cooking you my famous lasagna."

"Do that and you better cook several large dishes of it," Ami laughed over her shoulder as she stepped through the electronic sliding exit. "You know how the girls absolutely love you're cooking."

"Promise," Molly yelled before the doors closed behind the pair of blue-headed women and cut off the last warmth from the hospital heaters.

When the blast of cold air hit the short woman's face, Ami accidentally forgot about the other person standing next to her. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of fresh snow. There was the ever present odor of trash and car exhumes, but she was able to ignore it well enough to appreciate the clean scent of frozen water. Rain always relaxed her, but snow could stab all the way into lining of her inner that rain failed to reach. The icy air would prick at her lungs, giving her a dull ache. Her bones would creak and her blood would flush her cheeks. She became suddenly aware of ever nerve ending in her fingertips as the snow caressed the cold stone of concrete. If she closed her eyes, she could see a vivid drawing of her present surroundings with the snow as her charcoal. It was like her blood had become live wire and her insides churned with excitement.

Opening her eyes, she looked out at the shadowy street dotted with faint street lamps. The Red River Hospital was located on a backstreet of town that was lined with private businesses of accountants, lawyers, and magazine runners. There were few people who walked the street at such an empty hour. The quiet stillness was haunting whenever the hospital lacked the red flare of an ambulance run.

Ami shrugged off the unnerving feeling the street always brought when she stepped out of the hospital on a late night. Remembering her friend, she gave a quick smile of encouragement, pulled her coat tighter around her, and headed towards the employee parking on the north end where her little black Honda waited.

"So any new love interests?" Ami inquired casually as she fumbled for her keys in her purse. "I think I remember there had been a Barney."

Michelle tossed her hair out of her face and shoved her gloveless hands into the pockets of her cream waist length overcoat. "With Amara's race schedule, I haven't kept up much with love interests. I decided to concentrate on working with pastels. Once her schedule slows down I get back with the orchestra and the kids' violin lessons. How about yourself? Any new face I should know?"

Ami rolled her eyes, her mind immediately thinking of her mother. "Nope. Serena, I think was hoping to get someone to dance with me back at the club last night, but she never got the chance to work out her plan. There have been a few offered blind dates by my mother."

"Anyone interesting?" Michelle asked coolly, her eyes watching the nurse carefully through her long eyelashes.

Ami lifted her chin, "Mom lately has thought a man of high genius would spark my interest. What she fails to realize is that the men she has forgotten to mention would show up at our regular Sunday dinner together are men of either supreme arrogance or awkward detachment from the world around them. They spend most of their time discussing awards or new progress of science."

Ami knew Michelle had to be giving her a confused look, "I would think you would be totally obsessed with the chance to discuss science with someone of your level."

The nurse shrugged and pulled her keys out of her purse, "Sure, I love the chance, but you got to remember dating is about the person. I don't want to talk about the rate of grass growth. I can do that anytime…"

She trailed when her words escaped her. Her eyes became unfocused as she thought about the heavy library cluttering the small room of her home with the girls. Her face tightened, "I don't want another book to shove on a shelf. I want something… alive."

She shook her head viciously, suddenly feeling foolish at her small confession. She heard Michelle hasten to keep up with her as she turned into her row of parking. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain it. It's the illogical side of me."

"Ami," her name was spoken with such harsh insistences that it stopped the nurse's little red sneakers. Hesitantly, she looked over her shoulder at the beautiful woman staring back at her. Michelle's lips were downturn, "Don't be ashamed of your feelings."

Ami sighed heavily, an old exhaustion hitting her previously invigorated body. "I remind you, Michelle, that my feelings are not a subject I prefer to speak on."

"I just think—"

Ami halted, her abrupt standstill causing the other woman to stumble. Quietly, she faced her teal-headed friend with a neutral expression.

"I would rather we didn't discuss this," Ami stated firmly. "I'm too tired for the subject."

Michelle's eyes softened between the angelic threads of teal hair. She was tempted to push the smaller woman. She knew Ami always skirted around the issue of love interests, especially after her breakup with Greg, the one man she had ever loved. Ami as the others had guessed was the most passionate of the bunch, but was the most afraid of her feelings and the pain they brought. With her parents divorce and her one love's rejection, Ami had made the dire choice to clam up her heart. Ever since then, all the girls, including Michelle, Trista, and Amara, had tried to bring back the hope in the young woman. They wanted to relive that short time when Ami had been truly happy in her life, when Greg had been at her elbow and the girls surrounded her. Unfortunately, no one had dug her out of the cold ground and they only caught small glimpses of a real smile. It was the most painful thing to endure.

"Alright." Michelle whispered in defeat. She quickly turned back on her smile so Ami wouldn't feel guilty. "How are your studies going? I heard you were able to skip another term by working extra hours at the hospital."

Ami inwardly thanked her friend for yielding to the hard subject. Two years hadn't been enough to stitch back all of her heart back together. Maybe she would make it up to Michelle later when she had more sleep on her.

"School's fine," Ami commented merrily. Her head swiveled towards her car. "Actually, I have—"

Her words died when she saw her car was hiding in a dark patch of the parking lot. Michelle said nothing as she watched her friend scrutinize the lamppost towering near the black Honda. The glass was shattered along with bulb. Ami frowned, recalling the light being whole when she had parked earlier. At least, that's what she thought. She hadn't actually stopped to check. Shaking off the uneasiness, Ami resumed walking forward. Involuntarily, her eyes scanned her surroundings as she readied her key. Michelle walked around the car to the passenger's side as Ami stooped over.

Her key never made it to the waiting lock in her door. Ami felt a presence shift behind her and she immediately brought her elbow back. Her elbow sunk into something soft, followed by a loud grunt. She immediately fumbled for a limb in the darkness, hoping to flip them over her hip. Unfortunately, her attacker regained himself and began to struggle for her own arms.

"Michelle, run!" Ami's face swung up and saw, in horror, her friend grappling with a second figure. Michelle was already in a choke hold and scratching at the leather clad arm cutting off her windpipe. "Let go!"

Ami immediately went to stomp on her attacker's foot. He guessed her move, however, and dodged. Instead, he brought a hard knuckle punch into her exposed side. Her lungs expelled a harsh groan as she buckled. Clutching her side, she swung out her hand clutching her key. She became giddy when she heard a sharp cry. She yanked from her attacker's arms and rounded the car towards her friend. She thought she felt her bag slip off her shoulder. Michelle was already beginning to go limp.

"Drop her!" Ami thundered, lurching forward. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms clamp down around her in a tight vice. She went to scream and met a third hand that covered her month with some type of cloth. She knew before she smelt it that they had put chloroform on the dirty item. Her muscles began jelly almost instantaneously. She struggled against the dragging sensation of her limbs as tried to pull away the rag. The drug was too much for her though. She watched down the end of darkening tunnel as she was slowly being dragged away from her car further into the shadows. There was small bit of relief to see the attackers drop Michelle on the ground. She wasn't moving, but she didn't believe she was dead. They hadn't cut off her air for long enough. The woman was a pro swimmer after all.

As she lost sight of Michelle's teal crown disappearing behind her black Honda, Ami gave into the insistent black haze. The night shift crew would be coming in soon. They would hopefully spot the unconscious woman. At least, she hope they would find her before the cold took her. Her one thanks was that the attackers wouldn't do any worse damage to her friend.

* * *

..

She didn't know what exactly happen next. She vaguely remembered the sight of her friend hitting the ground then a very intense spotlight shining into her weak eyes. Ami closed her eyes against the hurtful rays and gave a small moan of protest. Her head leaned backwards and she felt like she had tossed the entire ocean back in her skull. She swayed precariously and felt something thin dig into her arms.

"Wha-at?" Her tongue struggled, feeling very heavy. Her chest heaved and her stomach felt queasy. She slowly peeked through the thin lips of her eyelids. All she could see was light. What was going on?

"State your name."

Ami's awareness increased immediately once she heard that deep, crisp voice. From her foggy memory, she couldn't remember the person. She knew at least from how low his voice went that it was definitely a man speaking to her. "Huh?"

"State you name." The demand was repeated with unyielding authority.

She tried to sit up and immediate came to notion that she was in a chair. Mores so, she knew that there was something around her wrists and ankles, possibly wire. She fumbled weakly, still in the after affects of the drug induced sleep. "Where am I?"

"State your name." The voice had grown colder, louder.

"Why am I here?" Ami demanded, her brain finally straightening. She could recognize a flat surface in front of her, likely a small table, and a figure sitting beyond the light. She felt like she was in the old television scene of a police interrogation. "Who are you?"

Her voice sounded stronger than she felt. At the moment, panic was ripping through her chest. She knew if she wasn't smart she would get into serious trouble.

"You're name is Ami Mizuno, correct?" the voice questioned, anger evident in his cold tone.

Ami went rigid. She slapped her mouth closed as a chill ran up her spine.

"From your response and features, we will surmise that this information is correct." The voice was even.

He had said "we." Were there others in the room? Her palms became clammy. "How do you know that?"

"We've been keeping an eye on you, Ms. Mizuno," the voice daunted. "You sparked considerable interest in the last months."

"Months?" She stuttered, unable to say more. Her mind knew there was only one logical reason anyone would show this sort of violent interest towards her. Her heart rammed against her chest when several familiar manila folders were thrown out onto the table in front of her. She squinted against the light and red the terrifying labels.

A hand covered in a white plastic glove pushed into the light and pulled one of the folders into the center. He flipped it open and revealed the thick paperwork. She immediately recognized one of the diagrams and knew what folder the unknown man had chosen.

"Your work is very interesting, Ms. Mizuno," the silky voice commented. "Very thorough."

She kept silent, terrified of where this was going. Her mind was quickly growing numb. The index finger of the gloved hand pointed to a title writing in heavy blue ballpoint ink at the top of the first page.

"The title of your work is even more interesting," he stated indifferently. "Normally, doctors don't use planet names for titles."

The glove curled back beyond the edge of darkness. She heard a shift on her left and wondered how many other people were standing there, scrutinizing her. Her heart quickened as she stared down at the notes that explained her life to viewer. She felt exposed, vulnerable. Alone.

"Tell us, Mizuno. Did you really think no one would be able to figure out what you could do?"


	6. Without Measure

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 6: Without Measure_

* * *

Everything stopped. It just stopped.

When she heard those words hit the air, she had felt a vast emptiness stretch across her soul. It felt like the moment before the white flag was raised. When you knew it was over, but you still hang on to that last stretch of hope thinking that the world could right itself. She didn't dare breathe as she felt that last shred of resilience slip through her. It was over.

Her lips tried to move and shape the words she didn't know, but only silence was able to part from her. Gradually, a weariness that was stretched from a time beyond centuries old (at least that is what it felt) pressed down on her. The chair was remarkable solid against her worn limbs as she sunk.

"Do you now understand your position, Mizuno?"

Ami stared at the glaring light, her mind drawn out of reach. She heard clothes shift beyond her vision. Unconsciously, her head followed the sound, but saw nothing. Somehow her mind had lost traction.

"What do you want with me?" her voice asked unbidden.

"We want answers."

"Answers?"

"How you do it."

Her head lifted slightly. Her mind shifted and slowly her senses sharpened. A wild emotion crossed through her heart and she scowled at the man. "If I knew that than I wouldn't have wasted my time on all that research lying in front of you."

She tugged on the wire clutching her wrists, "If you think I knew some grand secret than your mistaken!"

"I think you are the one who is mistaken, Ms. Mizuno," the man replied coldly.

She hesitated in her struggles.

"We didn't expect you to tell us," he whispered, almost daunting. "We plan to figure it out ourselves."

Cold fingers wrapped around the small woman's heart. She quietly leaned backwards, trying vainly to put distance between her and the unseen man. She swallowed, "What are you planning to do to me?"

"No need to go into such discussion. Our present meeting is to discuss other matters that only you can vocally give answers to."

Ami jumped when something flew into the light at her. A glossy eight-by-ten photograph slid across the table and settled inches before her. The nurse stared mutely down at the fuzzy image. There was an odd square blocking the camera, but there was enough of the half-torso beyond the blackened area to understand the photographer was zeroing in on the brunette woman. Her facial features were blurry, a tell-tale hint that the girl was unaware that a photo was being taken of her as she lifted up her hands over her head. The rest of the image was an array of undistinguishable shapes bathed in lime light. The source of the odd coloring was from the bolts of electricity leaping over her head. It was a picture of Lita in the warehouse.

"Who is that girl?"

Ami's heart ached at the sight of her friend. Just seeing a familiar face made the moment so much less terrifying. Her captors had been the ones in the warehouse. They had been there to scout her out. It was possible they hadn't known about her friends when they had planned to spring their trap, but Lita's flash of power obviously had not gone unnoticed.

"Never seen her before in my life," Ami spat. Diverting her face away, she glared pointedly at the darkness. As she waited for the response, the young woman stretched out her senses for any feel of water. She flinched when she felt her sixth sense burn in pain. Her jaw tightened as the burning sensation traveled straight into her temples like a pair of daggers. She shook her head lightly.

She had just gotten rid of the odd ache in her skull when new photographs were thrown out of the blackness and on to the table. All of them were fuzzy with random flashes of green. Lita's face was thankfully always obscured with only her brunette ponytail as distinguishable. "We figured you wouldn't say—"

"So I guess this conversation is over," she curtly interrupted.

There was a lapse of silence before the man decided to continue, "We figured you wouldn't say who she was, but we wanted to give you an opportunity to save yourself from our more _thorough_ interrogation later."

Ami ignored the way her stomach dropped to her toes. She kept her face blank and she studied the wall of darkness ahead of her. She heard the click of metal before the unseen man rasped, "Now, I declare this conversation as over."

Almost instantly as his words leapt out of his mouth, several hands grabbed her forearms and yanked her hard against the back of her chair. She yelped in pain at the jarring and demanded her freedom. She spun to face the heated presence behind her, but another set of hands grabbed the side of her head to still her movement. She fought savagely against her captors, but was locked solid. Lita and Rei would have been proud with her efforts, even if they failed hopeless. It wasn't long before she felt a familiar pinch above her collarbone. As the black wall surged forward and swallowed her, she surmised that they had injected some type of drug into her blood.

* * *

..

She wasn't sure how long she had been conscious. It took her a while to realize she was lying in a room that held no light. Took her even longer to realize there was no window. All there was beneath the feel of her stretched out fingertips was unfeeling, rough concrete. Beyond her sense of touch, she knew nothing for the darkness was impenetrable.

Still confused with her situation, the young nurse carefully sat up in the darkness. Her head swiveled from side to side, but none of the darkness peeled away. Slowly, she grazed her fingertips over the rough floor. Where ever she was, there had to be a door that had led her here. If she could find it, then she might be able to catch her bearings.

The concrete floor was very coarse under her palm. She had to keep her hand slightly elevated to keep from being scratched. Stretching her arm out in full length, she found nothing within reach of her fingers except for the never ending floor. She doubted the floor was never ending, but in the heavy darkness it was hard to debate otherwise. With a small push, she leaned forward and began to slowly crawl across the floor with hands sweeping back and forth in front of her.

As she battled the veil that covered her sight, Amy's thoughts strayed to her friends. She distinctly remembered the image of Michelle's unconscious body lying out in parking lot and how her teal hair had draped over her face. Her heart constricted as thought of how alone and vulnerable the woman had been left and began to feverishly pray that someone had found her. If the night shift crew from the hospital hadn't spotted her, Amy knew it was only a matter of time before Amara or Trista went out looking for their teammate. Once they found her, it would only be a matter of time before Serena and the girls heard about her capture.

Time? How long had it been since that night? It could have been hours since they had drugged her and possibly a full day since they had captured her at the hospital. Even if Michelle hadn't alerted the girls about her disappearance, Serena would have noticed her missing in the house. Ami had done her share of late night studies where she forgotten to come home at a decent hour, but Serena would be concern when she noticed she hadn't returned home after some a wearisome mission the night before. By now, the girls were probably out searching for her.

Not that it would help. She had no idea where she was or if they're was any clues back at the parking lot for the girls to follow. Even if Michelle got a decent look at her captors, she doubted it would have helped. No, Amy knew with frightening certainty that she was on her own. Any chance of her getting out of this would have to be discovered through her.

This realization made her limbs quake. From the way things were starting out, she highly doubt if she had a snowball chance in summertime of Death Valley of getting out on her own measures. These people knew exactly what they were dealing with when they captured her. They didn't appear to be the type of people who would slip up and give her any opportunity for escape.

_'But I shouldn't think like that. I need to focus on the here and now. Start with the room for weaknesses. Think miserable thoughts later when you don't have anything else to do!'_

Her fears and anxiety, though pushed away from the front of her mind, easily began to fuel energy into arms. The small nurse began to crawl faster across the floor, desperately wanting to find something. To crawl aimlessly in a measureless darkness was unnerving to anyone. To a woman of such intelligence, her situation was down right unbearable. She needed a line, an equation, something to work with to keep her sanity. Without it, she was basking in what was rare for her to feel. It was the same feeling from back in the warehouse. Helplessness.

Ami nearly sobbed in relief when her right pinky brushed against something. Her hands hastily slapped against the flat surface shooting straight up out of the floor. It had to be a wall. When she stood and her hands stretched upwards to vainly feel an end, she decisively called the object the wall. Her heart immediately steadied. With a small smile, she began to walk along the left side of the wall with her fingertips dragging down the rough concrete. The sound of her feet scuffing along the floor was strangely comforting to hear in the intense silence. She threw her free hand up in front of her, having suddenly remembering there could be an obstacle lying between her and the expected second wall.

For several minutes, the darkness was less frightening and Ami's heart was lighter. Hope was easier when one could identify their surroundings. Ironically, her joy began to wither when, what felt like hours, her search had brought forth no second wall, or even a door. Ami halted in her steps and frowned. _'Surely, I would have found another wall. Or at least some door.'_

Shoving the thought back, she began to walk faster along the length of wall. Still another hour (from what she assumed) produced no new discovery. Ami huffed in frustration. _'This can't be right. Surely, they wouldn't have shoved me inside a room as big as a football field.'_

Her hand which had begun to ache from being held up for so long fell down to her side. She debated sitting back down and taking a rest, but her nerves immediately flared. She didn't want to sit down again in the darkness. She wanted to get out. She wanted to escape. She couldn't do that sitting down.

Just as she was about to raise her hand to begin walking again, something extraordinary happened. The darkness split painfully apart and golden light galloped into her eyes. The light burned the retina of Ami's eyes and she instantly flung up her arms. Her back pressed into the wall as she tried to further herself from the painful light. Something scrapped loudly across the floor, causing the young woman to slightly lift her arm and squint against the sudden brightness. Gradually, she recognized the square shape of a doorway and stock figure standing against the light behind it. Her eyes involuntarily darted to the floor before she could realize the large rectangular doorway was growing narrower. Her head snapped up and she lurched forward at the closing door.

"WAIT!" she hollered seconds before the light disappeared and she slammed into the closed door. She beat savagely on the surface. "Wait! Come back!"

The concrete bit into her skin, but she never felt the wall cut into her hands. She just kept beating with all her strength into the door. "WAIT!"

Her chance had slipped away. Ami's heart clawed at her throat as her arms wearily scrapped down the wall. Her fingers spread out as she pressed her forehead against the door. The light of hope was rapidly fading with the sound of the unknown person's footsteps. She exhaled deeply and nearly sobbed out loud. She was alone again. For some reason the darkness seemed ten times stronger.

With her knees quivering, she became aware of the burning sensation dripping down her arms. She whimpered quietly as she collapsed to the floor. She sat there with her body full of trembles. The darkness was suffocating.

She anxiously switched her mind away from her panic and tried to think back to the moment the door had opened. If she could keep her mind busy she wouldn't slip away into blind fear. Ami replayed the scene in her mind, searching for usable material for her escape. She hadn't seen anything beyond the dark silhouette of her recent visitor. She hadn't been able to distinguish anything useful of her location or her captors. It had all been swallowed by the intense light behind the figure.

She scowled when she remembered the scrapping sound. There had been something shoved in the room. Her shoulders tensed. That had been why she had gotten a visitor. He had come to leave her something. Her eyes snapped blindly to her right.

She had no idea where the object was, but she could guess about the general direction. Her hand stretched out and began to once again to search the darkness. Her bloody fingers ached as they grazed the rough floor. Fearful of loosing the location of the door while fumbling in the dark, Ami planted one of her feet firmly against the door as she crawled forward. The nurse flinched when her fingertips pressed against smooth, cold metal.

Carefully, she drew the object closer so she could sit up and studied it through touch. It was round and flat with a small bit of depression. A plate? Her fingers slid over the top of the edge towards the center, slowly turning it over. When her hand swept over the entire span of the plate and found nothing, she grew anxious. Perhaps the food had fallen out of the plate when they had shoved it into the room. There was an acute ache in her stomach at the thought.

She clutched the plate, terrified to let go and lose it to the pit of darkness. Her back pressed further into the door as she realized she would have to leave the comfort of the wall to seek out the food. She licked her dry lips.

It was probably drugged. She shouldn't even try to find it. She would be more alert if she didn't. Yet her inners longed for food. She hadn't eaten anything except a granola bar when she had been at the hospital. Who knew how long she had been unconscious and without nutrition?

_'They won't let me die. They need me.'_ Her fingers began to ache from holding the cheap plate so tight. _'It doesn't mean they care if you suffer.'_

Even so she didn't dare leave the comfort of the wall to seek the unseen food. Instead, she focused on the door. First, she tried to find the hinges, but as expected the door opened outwards. Next, she tried to see if she could slip her fingers between the crevice of the wall and the door. To her unfortunate luck, she couldn't even get the edge of the plate to fit. Finally, she pressed her side against the bottom crevice of the door and tried to listen for any outside sound. Hopefully, she would be alerted by the sound of footsteps before the next time the door opened and then she might be able to take the visitor by surprise. Sadly, there was no telling when she might have the next visit, considering they had already thrown food to her. They might not be back for hours.

Lying on the cold, unwelcoming floor, the small nurse tried not to think of her fear or friends. She kept her focus firmly on the outward noise, listening for the smallest hint of life. The long hours yielding nothing and before long her eyelids fluttered. She pressed herself to stay awake, but her head grew fuzzy. Long before she could stop herself she had already dozed off.

* * *

..

Even before she opened her eyes, she was overwhelmed with the feeling of something being different. Her heavy eyes slid open and she saw another spotlight shining directly in her eyes. She squinted. "H-Hello?"

The first thing she noticed was that she wasn't sitting down like the last time. She was still lying down as if she had never left the horrible cell, but instead of lying on her side, she was now lying on her back. When she tried to move, several strong grips clutched at her body. Her breathing sped up as glanced down and saw she was strapped down to a gurney by thick bands. She could see nothing beyond the band encircling her waist, but she felt there were handful more firmly holding her legs and ankles. Ami nervously swallowed. "What's going on?"

She wasn't certain if anyone was there, but she hoped there were people. Tears unbidden slipped from the corners of her eyes. "Please, is anyone there?"

"This is the first stage of our experiments, Ms. Mizuno." It was the same dark, slithering voice. Ami froze in her struggles against the bands and tried to locate the man.

"What do you mean experiments? I thought you already knew what I could do?"

"Yes," the man whispered from afar, his voice sounded like it came from everywhere. "We know you have a special gift with water. Something mortals shouldn't be able to harness."

"Mortals?" she mumbled, confused.

"We want to know more about your gift, however, and plan to continue where your research left off."

She attempted to swivel her face to her left, thinking he was standing at her head, but something hard was planted alongside both her temples. She grimaced. "Left off? But my research doesn't lead to anything except a brick wall."

"That's only because you were afraid." His tone slid coldly over the last word, making the air disappear from her lungs.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"I mean you afraid to experiment on a more physical level."

"Physical?"

"Tell me, Ms. Mizuno. You should know the answer to this question." There was a tense pause like he was relishing the fear present on her face. "Does water and electricity mix?"

She immediately thought of the photographs and then of Lita. But her thoughts were wrong as she heard the whirr of machines growing louder. There was a hint of color beyond the spotlight and she guessed it to be the color red. Her imagination ran wild, throwing her fear into a new level of panic. Her mouth opened and instantaneously a loud ringing blared from off to her right. In the span of a short second, her head flared with pain like someone was stabbing her in the temples. It quickly traveled through her body like fire and needles. Her body reacted in wild spasms and her fingers and toes stretched out as if to detach themselves from her pain ridden body. Every joint seemed to expand and pop while the ringing grew louder against her throbbing eardrums. It was a horrible moment where her plane of awareness was comprised of only inescapable, thundering pain. It took her a while to realize the ringing had stopped and her screams had taken over the room.

* * *

..

There wasn't much to remember after the first electric wave they sent through her body. She guessed she had blacked out from the pain, but she couldn't remember the moment. Plus, she had little time to think on it. Her lapses into consciousness were always short and fleeting. Sometimes, she would wake to fearful darkness while other times to the less welcoming blaring spotlight. Unfortunately, whenever her eyelids would peel open, it was always for short periods of time.

She guessed it was their way of keeping her under control. As long as there wasn't enough time for her to formulate a plan than they had a chance of keeping her contained. Fore there was little time for her to gain latitude over her mind. Just when she would begin to formulate a plan, an object, anything in her head, she would again be stolen back into dreamless sleep. After her sixth visit to the shock room, as she soon came to call it the place where she was given electrical shocks, she began to repeat words in heads so she might remember the second she woke. She would repeat things, such as, _'I keep falling asleep even though I haven't eaten anything. They're inducing sleep some other way.'_

_'My cell is a perfect circle. That's why I was never able to find a corner.'_

_'The Speaker (the only man whoever speaks) has a slight accent.'_

_'They only bring me food, never water.'_

_'Somehow they are keeping me hydrated.'_

_'Are they giving me an IV while I'm unconscious?' _

No matter how much she repeated to herself before she fell asleep in her cell. Her memory was always patchy and took time to reconnect. It was frustrating and time consuming. She would barely have any extra time to think and soon her opportunity would slip away like sand between her fingers. At one time, she was startled from her pensive thoughts when she was overcoming with the random question of how long she had been imprisoned. She had lost track of how many times she had been brought to the Shock Room. From the ache in her body, it felt like she had been going there for weeks.

Some nights (as she came to think of her time in her cell since it was so dark) she wouldn't try to gather her memory. She would break down and sob. She had given in to eating after several fruitless attempts to stay awake. They wouldn't try to kill her when they needed her for experimentation. She hungrily attacked the plain sandwich and moaned with satisfaction. The whole time tears had streamed down her face. Her will to stay strong could not endure the yo-yo sensation of passing between prison and the Shock Room. It was too much.

* * *

..

One day she awoke to a startling new room. Instead of the dark cell and blaring spotlight, she found herself in a dimly lit circular room with the sound of water lapping in her ears. Her eyes slowly adjusted and saw the light reflecting off the water hitting the sleek, bluish walls. The sight was familiar to the times she had been swimming inside Michelle's large pool. For a fleeting moment, she thought maybe she was there back in that wonderful, safe place. She soon sadly noticed the ceiling was not glass, but stark whitewash with some kind of metal grate covering it. Her eyes drifted and noticed thick chains and automated pulley system.

"Our next experiment is to see how you do under pressure, Ms. Mizuno."

Her fuzzy mind recognized the static whir of an intercom. She went to turn her head and find the speaker, but suddenly the floor beneath her disappeared. A weak cry slipped from her lips as she saw a metal basket appear in line of sight. It was like watching a light at the end of tunnel stretch out of reach. She barely had time to register that the bottom of the grated basket had popped opened to drop her. Her hair flipped upwards, smacking her in the face. After two frightening seconds, she hit a rolling floor of water and sank several feet under the shifting surface without every taking the time to swallow a saving gulp of air.

She hung suspended in the middle of the twenty foot wide tank. Everything happened too fast. Ami needed time to reacquaint herself with reality and separate her dream world from present. The heavy swirl of water was pushing against her muddle thoughts. Her stiff fingers stretched out, almost petting the familiar friend of water. She let her limbs lifelessly drift.

_Our next experiment is to see how you do under pressure, Ms. Mizuno._

The clanking of gears was muffled by the deep water. Ami heard it regardless and became rigid. She kicked her legs and hurried upwards. Breaking through the surface, she flung back her short hair and gulped the clean air. The sound of the gears was louder above the water. Ami immediately looked upwards and was shocked to see the metal grate lowering from the ceiling.

_'What are the doing?'_

She frantically scanned the walls. There was nothing by clean, white, circular wall. Ami hastily gauged the space between the water and lowering ceiling before diving underwater. She ducked about five feet below surface and searched the bottom end of the tank. There was a large drain in the floor of the fifty foot deep pool, but it was closed. The shiny, metal covering showed no way of pulling it off. The only other object in the pool was a six-by-eight black window about a third of the way down beneath the water. It appeared to be one of those one way mirrors.

Kicking with new fever, Ami hurried back to the open air. Gasping, she knew her only salvation was in her gift. She hated the idea of using it to satisfy her captors' curiosity, but she didn't see any other way, especially when there was only five seconds till the opposing ceiling hit the water.

Ami hastily spread out her abilities over the water, her currents reaching out as deep as a third of the tank's water. The water immediately began to swirl around her. The movement was too slow in her eyes. It was as if the water was an elderly woman waking from her mid-day nap. Ami pushed harder to hurry the whirlpool into thundering life. She knew she was stretching herself, but there was no time for second thoughts. The grate began to press upon the crown of her head, but she furiously kept her concentration on the water. As she pressed harder, the water gradually began to recede from her chest. Her body began to lower and her head separated from the still lowering ceiling. As the circling water grew steady, she lowered further below its cresting head and into the pocket of open air. Her head tipped back and she was awed by the sight of the watery tunnel she had created. It reminded her of that ending scene in the _Little Mermaid_ where Ariel laid at the bottom of the ocean while the evil water witch took shots down at her with the trident. Ami swallowed when she saw the metal grate hit the foaming top of her whirlpool. In a sense, the nurse's trial wasn't far from the same level of danger the small mermaid princess had endured.

Momentarily, the whirlpool faltered when the metal grate hit the water. Ami had to hastily reshape the disturbed whirlpool before it collapsed. Her hands lifted over her head and her fingers unconsciously scrapped at the air. Currents wavered and the water splashed into her eyes. Her chest sunk below the water. Her gift wasn't strong enough to keep her above the surface plus keep the wall of water steady.

Frantically kicking to stay afloat, Ami began to wonder how deep the ceiling would go. Would it stop halfway down? Could it go as deep as the bottom? Her arms stretched higher. She couldn't let it get any lower. Michelle could demand the obedience of a small lake, but Ami wasn't nearly that powerful. Once the grate hit the halfway point, she was going to be shoved down into the untamable water. Already the depths were teasing at her feet, almost laughing at her flustered state.

The grate nudged against her fingertips. She wrapped her fingers through the crisscrossed metal as if to push it back up. The ceiling pushed her farther down into the water. Her shoulders disappeared underneath.

Immediately, she changed her tactics. Instead of keeping an air pocket open to her, she concentrated on using the water to force the ceiling upwards. The water hastily charged upwards, loosing it swirling formation. The tunnel squeezed close, leaving a foot wide pillar of air open to the nurse.

Unfortunately, the grate was designed specifically against this attack. The water was able to build enough pressure against the grate. The water slipped right past through the grate's open mesh, only slowing the ceiling down by a small factor. Ami began to grow desperate.

She gritted her teeth as the water lapped beneath her chin. Her muscles ached in protest, but she forced all her soul into her third effort. She zeroed in on the zone of water pressing around the grate. The water molecules shifted and pulled against her, trying to ignore her demands. Her head began to pound at the extreme effort she was demanding on her body. Never before had she demanded so much from her gift. Her soul felt like it was tearing at the seams. She cried out to the water. Her worn voice echoed off the walls, sounding like a lost siren. Her forehead felt like it was going to split open. The temperature in the room plunged while Ami's skull enflamed with overwhelming pressure.

Leisurely, the water began to crystallize. Its iridescent surface smiled at her as it wrapped through and around the grate. The metal loudly protested and attempted to proceed deeper into the tank. A soft blue light began to swell in the room, its source unseen. Ami ignored the strange glow and forced the ice to tighten around the grate. Slowly, the ice extended, forming a shallow bowl downwards to the young nurse. Ami pushed her energy further even as a familiar blackness crawled into her vision. She needed to secure the grate before she blacked out.

The fire in her skull completely outweighed the sensation of ice forming against her warm skin. Ice chipped overhead as the grate pushed. The blue light strengthened and filled entire room. The ceiling only stopped once the ice had reached all the way down to Ami's knees, locking her firmly in its prison. Her exhausted body exhaled a deep breath of relief and her arms fell. The hit the painful floor of ice, but she didn't care. Her attention was on the blackened mirror across from her. The reflection in the mirror revealed the source of the dimming blue light. She stared dumbly at her reflection's forehead, the center of her throbbing headache. There carved in her forehead by a supernatural blue light was the ancient planetary symbol of Mercury.

* * *

_**A/N: I'm not sure if this story shall continue. Not because of lack of readers, but because of the lack of free time. My second semester of grad school plans to be intense plus my sister's wedding is in December with me working on the wedding video. I'm torn. **_


	7. Topsy Turvy

_**A/N: I'm alive...whew...**  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 7: Topsy Turvy_

* * *

..

_She eagerly turned to the next page and soaked up every word. Tucking her feet up on the window seat, Ami leaned on one of huge white pillows and spread the heavy volume across her lap. Her mind was quietly lost in the story. The fat raindrops slipped softly down the foggy window. Its gentle song was relaxing in the small child's ears. _

_"Princess?" _

_Her blue eyes darted up, but hastily returned back to the white page. She leaned closer almost as if she wanted to fall right into the pages and disappear into the imaginative story. _

_"Princess?" The voice had grown nearer, but the girl ignored. Silently, she told herself she needed to finish the page before she answered. Otherwise, she would lose the thrilling sensation coursing through her blood. _

_"Princess?"_

_Her shoulders drooped. With an irritated frown, she stared at the door on the opposite side of the study. "Yes?"_

_"Are you ready to leave? Or are you sitting reading that book?"_

_Ami rolled her eyes and replaced her bookmark. "I'm ready."_

_Her father stepped into the doorway, dressed in an odd sort of royal blue uniform. It looked like something from the military with its icy white tassels and gold buttons, but she didn't remember ever seeing such attire. From the way he strode stiffly into the room, he could have easily been mistaken for a high ranking officer. Coming alongside the window seat where his daughter waited, he calmly crossed his wrists behind his back. His eyebrow cocked upwards, "You don't have your shoes on."_

_Ami pretended to not notice the disapproving look. "It literally takes a minute to slip on my shoes. I already have my stocking on."_

_What she said earlier was true. She was prepared with her flowing yellow sundress and stockings. She didn't even have a stray hair out of place as it fell around her beautiful, rosy, chipmunk cheeks. _

_With a coolness most eight years didn't have, the small child slid off the window seat and stared up at the towering form of her father. "Shall we leave now or is mother still getting ready?"_

_"Your dress is creased," he replied dryly. His eyes were far from the kindness she remembered. "You shouldn't have been seating down on it."_

_Ami didn't respond immediately. She quietly studied the harsh line in her father's jaw. "What's wrong, papa?"_

_**Papa. She had always called him 'Papa.'**_

_The man remained stiff and silent. There was something different in his scowl that whispered anxiety. Her father was never one to be anxious. His emotions were always collected. _

_"I'll get your nurse to help you fan out the creases," he stated bleakly. With a sharp turn, he strode out of the room. Each step was perfectly measured and equal to the last stride. It was if he was trying to hide from her knowing eyes. Ami clenched her book. Glancing down at her creased dress, she wished she hadn't been so consumed by her book. She might never have realized her father was upset if she had only listened to him. Now, their trip to the capitol would be horribly filled with worry. _

_"I hope everything is alright..." she mumbled. _

_Her nurse hastily bustled into the room and gently reprimanded her for being disobedient. There was no sign of her father behind her. The older woman with gray hair began to fan out the bottom skirt of the dress when she suddenly stared at the small child's head. "Where is your tiara, princess?"_

_"Oh," Ami exclaimed. She hastily spun around and reached between the cushions of the window seat. Her pudgy fingers wrapped around a cold object. Yanking out her treasure, she quickly replaced the small crown across her brow. The tips of her tiara slid effortless along her temples and settled on her ears. Shining, as bright as a trophy, a single blue sapphire sat in the center of the tiara. _

_"Perfect," the nurse admired with a warm smile. "You must not forget something so important when you go see the queen."_

* * *

..

That last word was what brought her back to reality. It was so out of place. At first the dream had felt familiar like a forgotten memory revisited, but when the elderly woman had said something about a queen it was as if the calmness in her heart had shattered. Ami had come crashing back from the weird dream to the loud world of reality. The clicking and beeps of machinery were strangely familiar to her ears though oddly muffled. She blinked rapidly, but her vision didn't clear. There was a loud whir followed by distorted voices.

Ami shifted. All of her energy drained at the small twitch of her head. There was stillness in the air, almost as if the entire world had seen her small movement. The noise altered in her ears as if a wall between her and the world was removed. Everything became crystal clear in her hearing. Soon her sight followed.

She was in a hospital room filled with the various, some of which she could easily name from experience. There was a mechanical ventilator on her left with a plastic covering over her mouth and nose. It made a disturbing echoing noise with each breath she took. Numerous monitors whistled and beeped around her with a web of intravenous lines and catheters tangled over her.

The rest of the equipment filling her area of sight was unfamiliar. She didn't recognize one of the pumps behind one of the monitors. It looked like it was filled with bubbling dark purple liquid. Beyond it was a five-by-eight-foot computer screen with a giant network of buttons and levers.

When she saw the computer, she immediately realized she was not back at her hospital, but in some type of medical ward within her captors' base. She had never seen such a large screen in corner of her mother's hospital. Besides, no hospital would be using a computer screen to compare DNA with water molecules.

"She's regain consciousness."

Her skull tossed in the foggy after affects of sleep as her face swiveled to the side. Standing stiffly at the end of her wet bed sheet, three figures dress from head to toe in white stared at her with wide eyes. The only visible skin was what surrounded the t-zone of the face, making her think of those rare times when people are quarantined in the hospital. They were each clutching clipboards.

The single woman of the three figures abruptly broke from her colleagues. She hastily raced down the bedside as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. Ami tried to raise her hand and grab the unknown woman's elbow. She wanted to know what had happened. She wanted to know where she was and why they had put her through such horrible torture. Most of all, she wanted to touch the woman's arm and feel the presence of another human life. It seemed like years since she had experience the touch of another person.

Sadly, her arm was too weak to lift high enough in time to grab the woman. Ami watched weakly as the woman stepped to side of her head, out of reach of her limp arm.

"Hurry put her back under!" one of the men hollered while yanking back the wet sheet. Ami's sight drifted downwards and watched with weak indifference as the man began to latch her down with leather belts. She was still wearing her hospital scrubs she noticed.

"I am!" the woman cried as she reached for a catheter. It was filled with that odd colored liquid. Fear skyrocketed through her blood and Ami immediately began to search for water. She had to stop them. She didn't want to slip away again! She was sick of living in limbo!

"No!" she moaned weakly. Her palms pressed down on the thin mattress as her shoulders rose inches upwards. The other man hurried over and shoved her back down. His clipboard clattered to the floor. "No! Please!"

She could feel the small whisper of hope in the walls. It desperately called to her, knowing it could free her from her confines. There were dozen of pipes behind the nearby drywall. The thunderous gallop of rushing water filled her ear and she nearly laughed in relief. The laugh quickly turned into a dying sob as her senses became faint. She was gone as quickly as she had come.

"I told you to be careful!" That was the last thing she would remember.

* * *

..

_The room could have contained a small lake; that was the first thought. Her second thought was that the light filling the enormous room was odd. It poured into the room in shattered beams with thin rays of coloring mingling down the span of light. There would be a shaft of light that was tinged a rosy red while the shaft of light next to it was lined with sunflower yellow. With closer study she also realized that the shafts weren't streaming down from a single source, but crisscrossing over each other like the plaid pattern on a skirt. If a person was able to lean back from the network of sunlight, it appeared as if the entire room was filled with fluttering colors like butterflies. _

_Ami was tempted to step off to the side and chase after the dancing colors, but she reminded herself that she had come with a purpose to the rainbow room. There was something here that needed to be done. _

_She slowly turned and looked across the vast room to the silver cast platform. Waiting patiently in the hand crafted chair, a single woman watched her. Ami was overcome with silent awe at the sight of the woman's beauty. The woman's silver hair almost glowed in the sunlight streaming from the high windows and the soft contours of her warm smile made her look like an angel. She was too ethereal to be anything else. The elegant tiara, the white wispy gown, the bluest eyes, all of it spoke of something supernatural. _

_Ami suddenly became very self conscious. Her small palms nervously passed over her yellow sundress. The wrinkles had long since been flattened, but she was almost certain she had forgotten a very apparent crease. _

_"Welcome, little princess," the woman's voice was sweet honey to her ears. Ami froze, having forgotten the greeting she had been practicing for the last two hours. She swallowed as she tentatively stepped further into the throne room. _

_Ami desperately wished her parents could follow her. She knew if she glanced over her shoulders she would witness an anxious expression on her mother's face. But it didn't matter. By the laws of the court, Ami was to present herself to the queen alone. Her parents had been granted quite a favor to be able to watch this moment from the sidelines. _

_When her body was perfectly positioned over the gold emblem of a crescent moon beneath her white dress shoes, Ami straightened and forced her chin upwards like she had been taught. Her fingers delicately pinched the edge of her dress and her ankles crossed. With fragile grace, she offered a curtsey. "I thank you, my lady. It is a great honor to be here."_

_The woman's smile brightened, "I hope your travel was smooth."_

_Ami was tempted to comment how boring it had been, but knew it would be improper since her travel was from queen's demand to meet her. Pushing the comment aside, the small child innocently answered, "It was a pleasant trip."_

_The young queen studied her. The blue eyes traveled over the girl's entire length, lingering on her small tiara. Ami was beginning to fidget under her careful gaze when the woman finally leaned back against her chair. "Good. I had been fearful to call you at this time of year. The skies are treacherous."_

* * *

..

She was floating. The water pushed against her lifeless limbs and tiny bubbled tickled up the length of her body. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids wouldn't obey. She was still wobbly from the drug induced sleep. _'Where am I?'_

She nearly laughed. That innocent question had haunted her since she had been in this hell hole. Surely, the question was pointless as ever.

A ripple of current caressed her cheek and combed through her hair. She was startled by the sensation. Was she completely submerged under water?

She tried again to open her eyes and luckily she was able to crack them open. Her weak sight glanced back and forth. Fear grew when she realized she was in a narrow glass cylinder. _'What the—'_

Beyond the glass was an empty, blurry room. All she could see in there was the silhouette of a distant door. Her hand struggled to reach out and touch the blue tinted glass. She weakly brushed her knuckles against the smooth surface. Looking upwards, she saw a bolted domed ceiling with a thick plastic tube hanging downwards. When she followed the tube, she discovered an oxygen mask was strapped to her face. She blinked. They had shoved her into a tank of water while she was unconscious.

_'Are they insane? They want to shove right into my element and see what happens?'_

She hungrily called out to the water. A wild pattern of a current filled her head and she fought to give it life. The tank was made of glass. Maybe she could break out. The steady drum of pump echoed through the tank.

Unfortunately, the water barely sprung into action upon her silent command. The drugs were still heavy in her system. As it was, her head felt very fuzzy. She knew what she had to do, but her body wouldn't follow her instructions. Her mind was too heavy.

Blackness crept over her senses.

_'No!'_

She had barely noticed a second tube before she had lost consciousness.

_'Someone…'_

There was an IV in the back of her right hand.

_'Is anyone out there?'_

* * *

..

_Ami pounded her fists into the sandbag. It swayed unimpressed a few inches with each punch. She gritted her teeth and swung her foot up into its side. The bag groaned, but barely moved. Ami grumbled a curse and double her efforts. The sweat dribbled down her neck, but she didn't notice. After all, she hadn't noticed she had soaked her shirt through. _

_"Ami," Lita called behind her. _

_"Yea?" she grunted between swings._

_"I was wondering how long you plan to use the basement."_

_Ami squeezed her eyes shut. Her fists pounded blindly as she envisioned the red head's face. She could see her smirking. _

_"A few more hours," she growled, kneeing the bag. There was still a great deal of anger to let out._

_Lita hesitated, "You'll rip your muscles by doing that much."_

_Ami gave the bag a particular loud kick. It swayed backwards and lightly tapped the back wall. "I don't give a crap."_

_She heard shuffling and knew Lita was a little shocked. It was normal for anyone to workout their rage on exercise equipment, but it was seldom done by Ami. It was a far rarer thing to hear her speak out her rage. _

_"You sure you don't want to talk this out?"_

_Ami's fists fell limp at her sides. Her chest heaved as she sighed, "Please, leave me alone, Lita."_

_"I just—"_

_"Please, Lita." Ami snapped. "I just want to work out till I'm exhausted and go to bed."_

_"Ames, it's three in the afternoon."_

_Ami lifted her fists and went back to punching the bag. She put everything in to each punch. She thought only of the girl who had destroyed her perfect life. She knew the girls were worried about what had happened. They thought that she would have broken into sobs, but instead she had marched into the basement with a violent look. _

_Ami shoved the thoughts away. She couldn't let herself think of him, or she would break. She needed to stay angry. That way she wouldn't think of him. She had to focus on the woman. By doing that, she didn't think of his voice telling her it was over. She didn't think about the way he had tore a hole in her heart. No, this way she didn't feel the need to curl into a ball and die. This way, she stayed alive and fighting._

_The sound of the door closing behind her immediately brought the tears. It was the world's way of telling her that she was alone. She was all alone again. She was without him. _

_She began to cry and her muscles gave out. She weakly stared at the heavy bag._

* * *

..

Alone.

Was this going to be how the book of her life ended? To die alone? To die alone in a tank? Was life truly so unfair?

For days (at least that what it felt), she had been locked away in the forsaken test tube, slipping in and out of consciousness. She couldn't remember seeing anyone beyond her glass prison, but she guessed someone came to regularly check on her. Her dreams were just as slippery as her thoughts. Recalling what had happened in her dreams often made her loose sense of which realm was reality. She began to inwardly debate if her dreams were real life and the watery tank was a nightmare. Soon, she began to wonder if she had ever been a girl in nursing or if she had friend with blonde pigtails. Most of the time, she let her mind fall blank just to escape the torturous confusion plaguing her.

Numbly, she would stare at the door outside her prison till she blacked out. She knew beyond it laid her fate. The day it would open would end her torture. Either she would be rescued or her captors would come to kill her. That was what fate had offered her.

She might not have seen anyone come into the room, but she had heard the voices. The voices had pushed away her dreams and brought her the blackness between consciousness and coma. She had tried to open her eyes many times to see her captors, but she had been too weak. All she could do was listen to them.

_"See it. That proves she's the one."_

_"Yep. That's it, but does that mean we move to the next phase."_

_"They are discussing it, but they think she's already made contact with others."_

_"If that's so, then we could still use her. Maybe she is more apt to talk now."_

_"Yes, that's what they are thinking. I mean why kill her when she still could be useful."_

Ami slid away from the vague memory. It stuck so pronounce in her mind, but she didn't understand why. What did they mean by others? And what was it that they meant by 'next phase'?

She closed her eyes and let the sensation of flowing water soothe her. She slipped back into the blank recess of her mind. There was no way out so why fight it? Why not just ride it out and let fate take her? Whatever they were going to do to her, she couldn't stop. Let it be. Tears pricked behind her closed eyes. _'Alone…'_

Then in the lonely confines of that tank while she was drifting through the blackness, the young woman heard a sound beyond the pumping flow of machinery. It wasn't voices. Her eyes open curiously upon the new sound. She had only heard the pump of the water since she had come to the small tank. The oddity in her fuzzy routine sparked something in her bleak countenance.

It was hard to understand what she was hearing because of the water masking its voice, but it sounded like a flat whistle. Her eyes scanned her small enclosure, uncertain of the source. For a second, she feared the tube connected to her oxygen mask had broken and was filling with water. Though she had limited view of the tube from her downward angle, there didn't appear to be any broken point in the tube. There was a moment of celebration before she looked to her IV. The same dark liquid was still streaming through the tube so it wasn't broken. Her head lifted a hair as she looked beyond the glass. The sound had to be coming outside.

That's when she noticed the room outside her tank was flashing. Her mind floundered at the sight of the room darkening and then bursting with light. _'What's that?'_

She tried to lean closer to the glass, but as she had momentarily forgotten the drugs kept her energy too low to move her limbs. As it was, her eyelids were demanding to close.

Suddenly, the door that had stayed irritably close for days burst open. A figure raced inside and unbridled hope exploded in the woman's chest. _'S-Someone's here.'_

The person immediately went towards her as if he knew exactly what resided in the room. Hope and fear clashed in her as she wondered if the person had come to rescue her or kill her. A pair of hands pressed against her tank and a face came into focus. The water rippled over the person's features and the color was wrong because of the tinted glass, but her mind fluttered with a slippery memory. The face was familiar. _'I know you.'_

Unable to do more, she hung weightless in her prison and studied the man's anxious face. His chin was strong like that of a fighter. There was vein near his temple that was jumping crazily as if he was deeply distressed. Even though his entire body was blue because of the glass, she believed his long hair was a strawberry blonde.

Yes, she had to know this man. That was the only explanation. But, who was he? Rescuer or killer? Looking at his eyes, she immediately felt like she should know his name as easily as she knew her own.

The lights flashed again and sadly, the man looked away. The young woman wanted to pound against the glass and get back his attention. She wanted to see those eyes again. Her memory had almost come back to her when she had looked into his eyes.

The nameless man bent over and for a time she could only wonder what he was doing. After a few minutes of watching his hunch over form, he jerked backwards with something in his hands. Raising it over his head, he took a stance. There was a flash of darkness and she remembered seeing that pose before. She flinched when he hammer the long metal pipe into her glass prison. It made a horrible sound that made her toes quiver. He struck again and small cracking noises pushed pass the drum of the pumps. She blinked and saw a network of jagged lines spreading out like a spider web. Logic told her he was trying to break her prison.

When he was finally able to break a small hole in the glass, water rushed out. As the water began to recede the machines began to groan in distress. The oxygen in her mask cut off and the water flow went dead. The man continued to beat on the glass to make a larger hole. As the water receded, her body grew heavy and the tubes strained to hold up her body. Spots began to play in her eyes as the oxygen mask refused to offer any new air. The mask had done well to keep her lungs clear of water, but now it blocked off her only source of oxygen.

By this point, however, the man had abandoned his pipe and was pushing against the waterfall of the emptying tank to reach her. He hastily wrapped an unsteady arm behind her shoulders and peeled away the mask with his free hand. The woman sucked on the delicious air with loud gasps. She was soundly overwhelmed with noise and colors. Everything was suddenly so loud in her ears. Her equilibrium quickly left her and she fell helplessly into his arms. He bent forward to keep her from being cut by the broken glass.

"It's okay. I'm here."

Familiar darkness pulled at her as she sank into his embrace. Her head slipped into the crook of his shoulder and there was a tug on her hand. He was pulling out the IV. The ceiling spun and she saw the flashing red emergency lights.

"It's okay. I've got you."

She smiled seconds before she blacked out. His hair _was_ strawberry blonde.

* * *

_**A/N: Hmmm... He's back!**_


	8. Fifty Layers Thick

_**A/N: Hehehehe. The real fun begins. **  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 8: Fifty Layers Thick_

* * *

.. 

When she had first arrived, there had been an unnerving feeling of imbalance. It was the nightmarish feeling she would get when her last pencil broke in the middle of a final exam, or when she ran into a dead end while she was being chased by unsavory characters. Even if she didn't know where she was, she knew it was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be there. That's why when she had slowly began to wake, surprise rippled through her. Suddenly, the world seemed to have fallen back into balance.

Her eyes snapped open. She anxiously stared up at the ceiling for a solid minute before she realized she was a new room. The ceiling was the same off-white, but it was slightly lower this time. She blinked twice and carefully turned her head. Her stomach twisted when she found out she was in a small bedroom. Dust floated down the sunlight spilling through the thin cracks of the blinds. There was a heavy scent of stale cologne and sandalwood filling the tiny room.

Her aching fingers slowly slid over the worn bed sheets and gripped the edge pf the mattress. As she carefully lifted her torso off the bed, she thought she heard the theme music of the twilight zone playing in her ears. Her mouth opened slightly and she scanned her surroundings. There was a messy desk of paper next to her head with a laptop buzzing in the corner. Random sketches of landscapes covered the blue-green wallpaper. There was a pair of bookcases heavy laden with volumes and notebooks with some radio equipment on the left shelves.

_'Where…'_

She jumped when she saw she was wearing a scuba wet suit. Tentatively, she pressed her fingertips on the thick material covering her thigh. The slight dampness immediately brought back the memories of the small tank. Her hand covered her mouth, remembering the feel of plastic pressing over her mouth. Had she been wearing this when she was in there? Had they dressed her? She quivered at the thought. They had stripped her!

She turned away. She didn't want to think on something she couldn't change. Instead, she focused on the room, wondering what had happened since then. There were images flashing in her head, but they were jumbled and disoriented.

Her bare feet brushed against a plush rug and she stood. Her body quaked and soon she was hunched over on the floor. Squeezing her eyes shut, she inhaled deeply. Nausea pushed against her stomach and she thought she was about to ruin the clean rug under her. She swallowed desperately and fought back the urge. She exhaled slowly through her nose. Her body was in a state of shock from her captors' handlings.

"Crap!" she hissed when a stabbing sensation passed through the front of her skull. "I need some painkillers!"

Once the pain passed, she sighed and peeled open her eyes. Her vision blurred for several seconds before she was able to lift back up to her knees. She swayed there for several minutes, content to breathe free air.

_Free…_

She was finally out of that hell hole. A frantic pray of gratitude raced out of her heart. Oh, she could kiss the feet of her rescuer. Her head swiveled to the door. Her rescuer had been that guy; the one she thought had attacked her in the warehouse. If he had attacked her in the warehouse, why did he now come to her rescue?

Her face twisted. Pushing off the floor, she struggled to a stand. She grabbed the edge of the desk as she swayed. She gritted her teeth and stumbled to the door. She burst through the doorway. Her eyes swept over the modest, empty apartment. There was no sign of her rescuer or anyone else, but it was evident from the scent of Chinese takeout she hadn't been alone for long. There was small pile of mail on the kitchen counter and several books scattered on the couch next to tangled blanket. He probably slept in the living room last night.

Steeling herself, she walked unsteadily across the room. She didn't know how long before he came back. Reaching the kitchen counter, she snatched up the piece of mail at the very top of the pile. Her eager blue eyes raced across the address. When the street name sank into her brain, she released a sigh of sweet joy. She knew this address. There was fifteen blocks between her and home. To finally know where she was, it was revitalizing. It was like the world had straightened and her limbs had strengthened. She had found a second wind.

The calendar on the nearby wall suddenly came into view. She blinked in disbelief when she saw what month was posted. Her head whirled as she dropped the letter. Spotting the television, Ami frantically half-raced, half-stumbled towards the adjoining room. She swept up the remote from the coffee table and prayed her absent host had paid the extra dollars for cable. The television droned with life and slowly revealed a shopping channel. She immediately punched in one of her favorite channels and waited. A familiar reporter smiled back at her as he began to go over the newest headlines. She almost too frightened to look towards the bottom-right corner of the screen where the 24/7 news/weather channel posted the date, time, and local temperature.

Her heart stopped completely.

_Feb 13, 2007_

_4:34 pm _

_13 degrees F_

Swollen tears slipped down her cheeks and she sucked in an uneven breath of air. She had been gone for an entire month? A whole month?

She thought of the girls, her mother, the hospital… What had been going on since she had disappeared? Surely, they had been searching for her. She knew Serena wouldn't rest until she had been found. Serena was probably inhaling coffee or caffeine pills to keep up with the search for her. Lita would be baking thousand of cupcakes to keep her mind busy while Rei knelt in the shrine's prayer room. The house would be spotless from Mina's emotional distressed cleaning.

Her heart wavered. Oh, how desperately she wanted to see them and her mother. Her mother would probably be sitting at home, clutching her favorite photo album. The staff would have forced her from the ER because she would be too out of sorts to work. She probably hadn't sleep in weeks.

_"…the Red River Hospital has given no further comment since the disappearance of their brightest intern, Ami Mizuno."_

Her head jerked upwards. There was a picture of her in her scrubs hugging one of the other nurses. The screen was slowly zooming in on her smiling face.

_"Ever since Ms. Mizuno went missing on the evening of January 4th__, the hospital has been making weekly public statements to beg for news on the intern..."_

Her spirit lifted at the sight of the familiar white building.

_"Unfortunately, five weeks of no information has strained on the morale of the staff. The intern's mother, a local surgeon, has taken an advised leave and refuses to give any further comment to reporters, but it is evident that hopes has grown cold for friends and family. Though the hospital chairman said they hadn't given up the search for Ms. Mizuno, there is a sad silence in the halls…"_

She didn't realize new tears had rolled down her face. Her hand was over her mouth as she stared at the sullen faces of staff members going about their business within the corridors. She hastily hit the power button the remote. The screen blinked into darkness.

Dread settled into the pit of her stomach. She thought of what she would be feeling if one of her friends had been missing for over a month. She leapt up from the couch. When she tried to run to the door, however, the strength left her legs and she collapsed to her knees. Grumbling curses, she gripped the top of the couch and pulled herself up. With three unsteady strides, she had reached the door. She undid the bolt, turned the handle, and froze in the open doorway.

She wanted nothing else to race back to her friends and yell at the top of her lungs that she was alive. _'But…'_

There were dozen of questions demanding answers. If she left this nameless man's apartment than she might loose her only chance of ever knowing what happened back in that hellish building. She was ready to forget that horrible month, but she would be a fool to think things were over. Someone had stolen her out of a park lot and had done random experiments on her. They knew she had special powers! They would come after her again.

Her head turned back to the living room. Her rescuer might have answers.

Her heart tore at the thought of her friends and mother sobbing over her disappearance. She grounded her teeth together. She wanted to go to them, but she needed to wait a little bit longer. A curse word screamed through her brain as she slammed her fist into the doorframe.

Forcefully, she spun around and closed the door behind her. She heaved a heavy sigh as she hung her head. She was so sick of waiting. Weeks of torture made her want to rip out the couch's stuffing. Her blue eyes drifted back to the countertop. Deciding that she didn't want to vandalize her rescuer's home, she hurried over to the stack of mail. She looked at the name the top envelope was addressed: _Zachary Greene_.

_'So that's his name.'_

The doorknob abruptly turned and she whirled. Her face quickly became hot as saw her perplexed staring at her while she held his mail.

"Find some interesting?" he questioned mildly with an eyebrow raised.

She dropped the envelope as if it was hot and scuffled backwards. Her eyes narrowed on the man. Part of her knew that this man was the same person who had rescued her and joy surged through her, but a deeper part of her soul was wary. There was something dark and foreboding hovering over the man. As he looked away and stepped into the apartment, she became edgy. Her hand curled as a tremor passed through her nerves. It was as if a bad memory of the man lingered out of reach of her brain.

She inwardly cursed herself for such foolishness. She had never met this man until that day in the alley. How could she have any bad feeling about him? Then, she hesitated. What had he said in the alley that day?

_'You know who I am…'_

She studied his profile as he closed the door. As always, she couldn't help, but admire his dashing features. Had she met him earlier in her life? Was there something she had forgotten that she should remember? She clutched the side of her head. Everything was so darn confusing.

"Maybe you should sit down," he stated gently.

She looked up and saw he was studying her with a look of genuine concern. His eyes were a deeper green than normal. She blinked rapidly before giving a small nod. He waited for her to step towards the couch, but when he saw her make no movement, he realized she was letting him lead the way. _'Probably doesn't want to show me her back and let down her guard.'_

He could understand such a reaction after what she had been through. He shrugged before lifted up his hands to explain his absences. Her eyes lit up at the sight of a frappuccino and fresh take out boxes. The sight of food made her stomach roar with life. "I knew you had to be starving, but I also thought you might be still off balanced and need a jump start of caffeine."

She blushed, "Um…thank you."

Gingerly, she took the plastic bag of take out, but shook her head at the frozen coffee. "I really appreciate the thought, but if you don't mind, I really would love some of the water you have in the fridge."

_'Her gift must be back to normal or else she's been looking in my fridge and spotted the bottle water.'_ He gave her a warm smile. "Hey, that's quite alright. I'll leave the frap in the fridge, in case you might want it later."

She stared at his back as he headed into the kitchen, "Thanks."

She hesitated before walking back into the living room, darting uncertain glances at the blonde man. He was wearing the same outfit from the alley: the leather jacket and red hoodie. As he hunched over, her eyes instinctively darted downwards. She immediately whirled around before her eyes were able to get a full view of his rear. _'I am not going to oogle this man! For heaven's sakes, he could be a psycho!'_

Sitting down on the couch, she glanced back towards the kitchen. He had straightened and was heading in her direction with two bottles of water. She anxiously shifted under his steady gaze. He held out one of the bottles with a half-smile. She wondered what he found so amusing. As he sat down in the recliner opposite from her, she twisted off the cap and took a long swig. The clean taste swam down her parched throat, tasting as sweet as sunshine. Once half the bottle was gone, she sighed in relief.

"Never tasted so good," she mumbled.

He nodded, "I figured it would after a month of being hydrated by IVs and serums."

As she went to take another swallow, the bottle froze inches from her lip. Her hand dropped and her eyes narrowed on the man. "How do you know that?"

He placed the other bottle on the coffee table and leaned back in his recliner, "Well, that's what happened, right?"

She balked at his answer. "Yes, but—"

"So it's only natural that water tastes excellent after such a horrible episode."

She suddenly wanted to throw something heavy at his head. "Of course, but that doesn't explain how you know that?"

She shoved the take out aside, forgetting about her stomach. Pushing up off the couch, she bunched up her fists and gave him the deadliest glare she ever mustered. Anger she rarely felt was shooting through her like wild electricity.

"I just went through a month of Hell," she seethed through clenched teeth. "I'm exhausted and pissed. I'm ready to blow every pipe in this building so you better be straight with me."

He quickly threw up his hands, "Whoa. Please, calm down. I don't mean any disrespect. It just a lot to explain and I don't know where to start."

He looked down at the water bottle that was beginning to crystallize into ice. He licked his dry lips and warily glanced up at the fuming woman.

"How about from the beginning?" she grumbled. "Like, who are you?"

Trying to make no sudden movements, he slowly lowered his hands. Her powers seemed to have come back to full life in a matter of seconds. When she sank back onto couch with a drawn expression, however, he realized she was using a great deal of her depleted energy by the show. She was still very weak.

"On paper my name is Zachary Greene," he began quietly, pushing back his wild bangs. "But my birth name was Zoisite Greene."

_Zoisite…that name…_

"What do you mean?" her tone was skeptical.

He pushed off from the back of his seat and situated himself on the edge of the recliner with his elbows on his knees. "To explain I need to go back a little. Have you ever heard of the research group called the NVerse?"

She carefully considered the name, but she eventually shook her head. Sighing, he passed his fingers through his hair. "I didn't figure you would. They are a very private group. Almost a secret society. I don't even think the government knows about them."

"What do they do?" She asked though her mind already had a solid guess. Her eyes caught his hands shaking.

"I don't know the extent of their research." He looked down at his toes, "But I know one of their divisions was dedicated to biological advancements in humans."

Her eyebrow quirked, "Excuse me?"

"To put it plain, they were working on making super-humans."

"Super-humans? That sounds like twilight zone ridiculous."

"I'm totally serious," Zach stated with a tight face. "Besides, I think water manipulation is on the same level as the twilight zone."

"Whatever," she mumbled with a roll of her eyes. Her inner emotions violently twisted. Normally, she would never be so rude, but her exhausting was tearing apart her nerves. "I can't help that I was born with this gift."

"Whether you believe it or not, the fact of the matter is that they exist and they were the ones that abducted you."

Her head swiveled, "These guys, the NVerse, were the people who kidnapped me?"

His eyes became stone hard, "You were one of the first identified with natural…um…supernatural abilities."

"One?" she floundered. "You mean there are others they've captured?"

"More like investigated," he commented, reaching down for a folder lying under the coffee table. Her eyes curiously watched as he pulled out forms and photos. They were subject profiles. Ami glanced over the papers fanned out on the coffee table and was stunned to see the photos were mostly of young females. "They never actually kidnapped any of these people. You were the first. These others were only put under surveillance."

"I don't get it," she threw down one of the photos. "How did they start researching these people? What made them interesting enough to put under surveillance?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I was never able to figure that out."

She looked up from the papers, "Figure it out? How do you even know about this research if it's so secret?"

"That doesn't matter right now," he leaned forward and began replacing the files back in the folder. Ami immediately pounded a fist down on tope of the profiles when he went to take it away. He stared pointedly into her fiery blue eyes.

"That answer is not good enough," she whispered. "Somehow, you're involved in all this. It's not hard to see that."

He sat silent, calculating the situation. "Let me ask you this, Ami. Do you believe I'm a friend or an enemy?"

The sound of name on his lips caused her toes to curl. She wasn't sure if she liked it when he said her name. It sounded too much like he knew her intimately.

"I haven't made up my mind," she answered honestly, her tone hard. "You saved me from that research facility, but I'm not ready to welcome you into open arms. The only reason I haven't attacked you is because I want answers."

His eyes went glassy, "Fair enough."

She was confused by his reaction. He almost looked disheartened.

"How about I explain to you exactly why you were captured?"

She frowned, "You're not going to tell me how you know all this?"

"You're not ready for that answer yet," he replied sullenly. Ami wasn't satisfied. There was something important about this man's identity. Was he hiding it to later trap her? Was this some sick psycho out to get his jollies? Or could he actually be a true rescuer?

She grabbed for one of the take out boxes. Yanking it open, she was surprised to be looking at Japanese noodles. She glanced over to him and watched as he finished picking up the papers. Had he known that she loved Japanese food? She could understand him knowing about her liking ice coffee because he must have seen her in the coffee shop that first day, but he also knew her take out preferences? She looked at him through the corner of her eye. Had he been stalking her?

_'I doubt he would be willing to admit it. So there's no point in asking. It might be better that I keep quiet and see how things play out. After all, I'm in his territory. If I act like I'm going to run, he might pull the plug on this friendly act and put me in lock down.'_

She quickly shoved a fork full of noodles into her mouth. Her eyes studied him from across her plate as she chewed. Sadly, the wonderful flavor was lost by her diverted attention. After her first mouthful, she said, "Okay, go ahead and explain why I was captured."

He smirked and she almost was tempted to throw her food at him. _'No one has ever been able to infuriate me so easily. I could understand Rei feeling this way, but not me. I'm not a spitfire like her. I never need to remind myself to calm down.'_

"This is going to sound unbelievable, but I'm asking you to stay opening minded."

She gave him a perplexed look, "This is worst than twilight zone super-humans?"

"It leans more towards the psychotic level," he answered evenly.

Digging again into her noodles, she inwardly scoffed, _'I'm looking at the psycho.'_

"You see NVerse people are under the disguise that they are a group of scientist, but in reality they're part of a very twisted cult."

She stopped in mid bite, "Cult? Like satanic?"

"There is very limited information on their type of religion, but I don't think you could categorize them as simply satanic."

"Then what are you getting at? Cults are case book typical, not twilight weird like you were implying."

"Well, when you look at the religion and its connection to you, then you will understand."

"Understand? I can understand if they thought I was a goddess because of my abilities."

"Actually, they think you are a lost princess."

Her eyes widened as the last word replayed through her head. _'Princess…'_

"Princess?" she asked in a hollow voice. "What do you mean?"

'I_n my dreams…they had called me princess…but that was dream.'_

"It goes back to an ancient religion, one that has been somehow forgotten through the generations. The religion is female deity based with astrology and mythology playing in the background. The only name, however, I have found for the religion is the Senshi."

_Senshi._

"Soldiers?" she whispered. "That term sounds familiar."

"Does it?"

"What's the story on the Senshi?" she ignored the way his eyes' lit up.

"Well, the core of the story is that the universe or at least this galaxy is protected by a goddess known as the Moon Princess."

"Moon Princess? What does she protect the universe from?"

"Just your basic evil?"

"Evil? Like evil spirits? Evil aliens? What exactly?"

"I'm not sure, but the story hints to an evil that was once locked away."

"Hm," she mumbled, pulling out another fork of noodles. "So what else do they say about this Moon Princess?"

"Well, she's from a royal family, one from the heavens, and supposedly she is the one to protect a sacred crystal."

"This is sounding less like a religion and more of a fairy tale."

"Even so, the NVerse believes this to be a true story."

She slammed down her carton, "But why would they think I'm this princess?"

He sighed, "Supposedly, the princess can be revealed through the symbol on her forehead."

Ami's heart stopped. She thought back to the day when they had dumped her in the enormous pit of water. When she had nearly drowned, there had been a strange light and then her forehead felt like it had been split open. She had looked at her reflection and she had seen the circular planetary symbol of Mercury.

_'Is it possible?'_

"That can't mean me," she hastily interrupted. "I'm not the only person who could do these things—"

She instantly remembered the voices outside her water cell:

_**"See it. That proves she's the one."**_

_**"Yep. That's it, but does that mean we move to the next phase."**_

_**"They are discussing it, but they think she's already made contact with others."**_

Her hands began to shake._ 'Oh no! They saw it! They saw it and believe I'm her!'_

She blinked rapidly when Zach's voice cut through her panic, "My only guess to why they want you is because they hope to kill you and take back the crystal you, supposedly, use to protect the universe with?"

She snapped her face to him, "But I don't have any crystal! I've never had crystal except for the wine glasses my mom owns."

She flew out of her seat, the empty take out falling to the floor. Rubbing her hands together, she began to pace the floor. Her bare feet padded loudly across the wooden floor, matching the beat of her racing heart.

"I don't care what they think," she rambled. "I might have some supernatural abilities, but if I was some protector of the universe, I think I would know!"

She whirled so fast her blue hair slapped her in the face. She glared down at her blonde rescuer who was anxiously watching her.

"I'm no lost princess!" she cried with outstretched arms. "They've got this all wrong."

She grabbed a fist full of hair and hissed out an angry breath, "I can't believe this! I went through a month-full of torture for nothing!"

The anger and exhaustion from the past days bubbled up into her chest. It became difficult to breath. Shoving the hilt of her hands into her eyes, she tried desperately to hold in a powerful sob. Sadly, her body was unable to hold back the treacherous moan.

She was just so tired and alone. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her friends. She wanted to go back a month and get back her life. She wanted to be a normal girl, who hadn't ruined her parents' marriage or killed her cat because she lost control. She wanted to be just a person.

Her emotions spiraled dangerously out of her will of control and blackness crept over her heart just as warmth wrapped around her and pressed her into a hard chest. Her body went rigid and her heartbeat began to slow.

"I'm sorry," a silky voice whispered along her ear. "I should have given you more time to relax. You've gone through so much."

She couldn't get her mouth to open. She could only stand silent, trembling in his strong arms and staring at the deep red color of his shirt. There was calmness in the cavity of his hold that slid through her body. _'How is it that one minute I'm terrified of him and then the next minute I've never felt safer?'_

She inhaled the heavy scent of cologne and her eyes fluttered close. Something forbidden stirred in her heart. She leaned treacherously closer, her arms beginning to creep around his sides. Then, her brain began screaming at her and the warning bells broke through her dazed senses. _'Don't forget yourself.'_

She pushed her hands into his chest. Hard.

Zachary withdrew, but his eyes were hidden. His hands held her shoulders loosely as he tried to smile, "Feeling better?"

She gently pulled the rest of the way out of his arms and drifted towards the window. The evening sunlight slid over her worn features in narrow, orange bars. The warmth of sun couldn't help her cold body. "I'm fine."

Her chin trembled, "My emotions are out of balance. That's all."

He didn't say anything. He remained irritably silent. Ami took deep breaths as she squeezed her eyes closed, "They're going to keep coming after me. Won't they?"

"Yes." The word was heavy in the air.

A cold chill ran up her spine. "Is there anything I can do? Can't I stop them?"

"As you said, you are not the only person who has supernatural abilities. The NVerse is stocked with more than scientists."

Her jaw tightened as she thought back to all the fights she had been through in the past with the girls. She was no damsel. She could take on these people now that she had her footing.

"If they come after me, I'll take them out," she resolved.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. Turning, she found his eyes pleading with her. "Please, don't be foolish. The NVerse isn't a group of stupid thugs from the streets. This is an elite enemy with similar supernatural weaponry that you have."

His fingers tightened as his tone grew harder, "You could have a chance against a handful, but they would be willing to send their entire staff after you."

Tears of frustration swelled in her eyes again, "I'm not this princess. I don't have any crystal. I'm a girl who has been trying to help others, not save a universe. What am I suppose to do?"

He leaned closer, bringing her closer into his cocoon of masculine smell and beautiful green eyes. "Run."

It had come out so softly that she almost thought she had misheard him. "What?"

"Run. Disappear," he insisted louder. "I can get you a new name, social security, and a home. We can get your hair bleached and maybe color contacts."

The thought of blonde hair was a little disturbing to say the least that she almost didn't catch the entirety of what he had said.

"W-We?" she stuttered as eyes wide.

His smile was tight, but his voice was gentle. She blushed when she got lost admiring his blonde waves framing his tan face. The golden sunlight made him look almost god-like. "I got you out. I'm not leaving you to get caught again."

Her eyes narrowed. "I am a big girl, Mr. Greene—"

"Call me Zoisite."

"Listen, Mr. Zoisite, I'm sorry to ruin your grand idea of rescue, but I'm not running. I have a life here with friends and family—"

"Who will all suffer if you return home." Her heart gave out the second the words were spoken. He was right. She had heard that small warning in the back of her mind, but she had shamefully ignored it. Perhaps it was likely that the NVerse would come after her and possible come at her friends so she would cooperate, but her heart couldn't let go of the people had first loved her. It would be better to carve out her heart than to say goodbye.

But at the same time…

"No," her voice wavered. "I c-can't."

"You can't protect them all, Ami," he stated softly. She stared up into his smoky green eyes, silently pleading for him to stop. She didn't want to hear the truth. "These people would be willing to kill your entire family if that meant you would cooperate."

Her defeated gaze dropped to the floor. She would die first before she let anyone of them get hurt. Her small hands curled into a pair of bone white fists as she held back new tears. Life wasn't fair to her. It was never fair to her.

"I know this isn't fair and it's a lot to take in, but it's your only option. If you go back, they'll track you down in a matter of days. They probably already have your house's address. They'll be a dozen eyes keeping your close friends under surveillance and the phones will be tapped. They'll have a team surmising what move you'll make next and then they will lay scouts out as traps. If you go back, they'll find you."

His hands dropped from her shoulders, "As it is, we're taking a large risk by dawdling here. They probably have my information and are sending someone here as I'm talking."

Her somber heart sunk further into the earth as if it was digging its own grave. _'It's like I'm in some bad movie.'_

He carefully studied her silent form. She appeared to have calmed down, but he was certain it was probably because she was going into shock. His chest tightened as he thought of what she had gone through. Yet, again destiny was being unfair to her.

"I was lucky enough to get your things out of the NVerse facilities. I took the liberty of washing your clothes."

Her head turned to the window and she placed her back to him. His face grew dim, "I'll get your clothes out of the laundry room and give you some time to think. When I come back though, we need to move on from here."

He waited to see if she would answer, but as expected she said nothing. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he headed for the door. He wish there was more time so he could explain things further, but they needed to get moving before the NVerse close in on his apartment building. In an hour, they had to be out of here. Otherwise, his best efforts from the last month would be lost.

"All your other stuff is in my room sitting on the floor beside my bookshelf."

Then the door clicked close. She listened to the sound of her feet faded and waited till she had to strain her ear to hear him before she bolted for his room. Bursting inside, she frantically scanned the room, her heart hammering a mile a minute. Her blue eyes found his closest and she flung open the sliding panels. Her hands hastily yanked out the nearest bunch of clothes. A couple of hangers hit the floor, but she ignored them and focused on the fistful of clothes she had grabbed. After checking her options she chose a blue flannel shirt, an evergreen hoodie, and elastic running pants. She began to frantically get dressed. She didn't bother taking off the scuba suit she was wearing, deciding she would need the extra layer. By now, it was nearly dry so she didn't need to worry about hypothermia. Next, she looked down at his collection of shoes. To her dismay, his shoes were a little over two sizes too big for her.

"Crap!" she hissed before grabbing a pair of gray sneakers. _'Hopefully no one will look at my feet.'_

She glanced at the mirror and saw how the clothes hung off of her body. It was easy to tell she was wearing the wrong size and that they had been thrown on in reckless haste. Curse her luck for being a petite woman. _'Maybe they won't look at me at all.'_

Locating his horde of socks, she yanked on two pairs over her small feet. She hoped it would keep her warm and help fill up the overlarge sneakers. After tying the laces as tight as possible, she went over to where he had said to have kept her things. Her eyes lit up with recognition when she saw her shoulder bag. There was no mistaking the navy colored "A" stitched to the front of the gray material. She hastily knelt down and began to shuffle through the insides. As expected, all of her hospital forms were still there, but her stack of research on her and the girls was missing.

"Shoot," she mumbled before closing the bag. They had taken her research. Hopefully, they wouldn't be able to decipher the identities of the girls through her papers. If they had, then the girls would become a target. _'All the more reason to hurry back to the house and warn them.'_

Throwing the strap over her head, the small woman pushed herself up. In her mad rush to escape the apartment, however, she failed to consider the distance between her shoulder and the side of the bookshelf. White hot pain shot through her as the edge of the shelves dug into her collar bone. The tall bookshelf swayed and several volumes fell loudly to the floor. She gasped when a particular large volume narrowly missed her toes. She stood there for a second debating whether to replace the books. Huffing, she reminded herself that she was escaping and had no time for such frivolous cleaning.

When she went to exit, however, her eyes accidentally caught sight of a small rectangular box on one of the higher shelves. Her feet planted into the ground as her eyes narrowed. The box had been carefully placed behind the books in its own secret hiding place. She glanced towards the door, wondering how much more time she had. _'Maybe five minutes…'_

Ignoring her better judgment, Ami reached over and brought the box out into the fading sunlight. As she brought the box to her face, her heart skipped. It was made of fine black leather with a row of symbols stitched onto the front with silver thread. It was a Japanese word: _Shitennou.'_

Her eyes widened, _'Heavenly Kings?...What could he possibly have in here?'_

Time stopped as she followed the curious urge to open the thin box. Slowly, the lid fell back and revealed it red cushioned inners carrying a collection of tiny stones. Her eyes passed over the various colors. There were four in all in several striking colors: golden amber, translucent white, royal blue, and smoky jade. _'What is this?'_

Her focus unconsciously narrowed on the fourth stone, the jade. _'He had said something about a crystal the princess had.'_

Somehow, she knew the stones in her hands were somehow connected to his story. She frowned at the thought. _'But how could they be? These are chunks of minerals, not crystal. And why does it say Heavenly Kings on the box? He didn't say anything about kings.'_

As she mulled over this, she became unaware that her hand had reached for the jade stone. Something was drawing her to the innocent stone, some inner calling. When the pad of her fingertips delicately brushed the smooth green surface, a powerful shock of electricity raced up her arm. Crying out, she dropped the box.

The stones clattered across the hardwood while the box tumbled over to the carpet beside the bed. She was too overcome with the drums pounding her ears to notice. Ami instinctively clutched at her head as pin-like pain began to sear through her skull. Several curses flew through her head as she struggled to stay standing.

_'It's like that time…that time in the tank.'_

She stumbled to the left with her eyes screwed shut. _'What's happening?'_

Her knees buckled and she hit the floor. With one head clutching her forehead, she gripped the side of the shelves. The world spun yet again and she nearly shouted at it to stop. Things didn't want to get easier for her.

_'I shouldn't have touched it. I should have left when I had the chance.'_

Forcing all her weight against the shelves, she precariously lifted to a shaky stand. She squinted through the pain and realized she was facing the mirror. The Mercurian symbol glowed brightly across the angry wrinkles of her brow. _'Aw, crap!'_

She pushed away from the mirror so fast that her arm struck the side of the bookshelves. For the second time, an array of books tumbled out and nearly emptied the entire case. All thought of pain and panic disappeared when she spotted the handgun sitting innocently behind one of the remaining volumes. Without further hesitation, she swiped up her handbag and raced out of the apartment.

* * *

.. 

As she passed a set of officers exiting a diner, she unconsciously pulled the dark hood further over her face. They were laughing over some joke one of them had made when she walked by on their left. She prayed she looked like some guy who enjoyed oversized clothes. When she heard their feet still behind her, she located the nearest alley and ducked inside. Maybe they wouldn't follow her.

When she saw a nearby dumpster, she hastily ran behind it. Ami pressed her back into the cold stone wall and tried to calm down her heart. She was lucky to follow her instincts because when she peeked around the back of the huge metal bin, she saw the police officers pass by and glance down into the alleyway. They stalled for half a step, but finding the alley empty, they continued on their way.

She sighed wearily. She had been playing hide-and-seek for the last hour since she had bolted out of Zoisite's apartment complex. She passed her hand over her brow. Her headache had gone away along with the blue symbol. Unfortunately, her body was still weak, especially with all the running she had been doing, ducking in and out of alleys.

Her years of missions with the girls had forced her to learn the city's entire network of alleys and streets. It was helping considerably at the moment, but it was making her progress horribly slow. In the last hour, she had barely reached the halfway point between Zoisite's apartment and her house. _'I'm going to faint if I keep this up.' _

She checked the front of the alley for spectators before rising and heading into its shadowy confines. _'As it is, I only have another hour or two before the sun completely sets. By then, it will be too cold for me to continue.'_

As if they could hear her thoughts, her joints protested loudly as the cold sunk deeper into her bones. _'At least, I got some food and water in me before I ran out. Else I would have already fallen unconscious.' _

Her vision blurred dangerously. She stumbled on an invisible line and grabbed the side of the nearest building. _'Maybe I could call the girls to come and get me.'_

She pushed forward. _'No, he said the phones would be tapped. Things could become very bad, very fast if I call them.'_

Her feet dragged as she turned left. Her eyes stared numbly as the ground as the mush of her brain swirled. The cold air was like a collection of needles in her lungs. _'I need to cross eight more streets before I reach our neighborhood. Maybe I could chance a bus.'_

Her aching hand reached into her bag. _'Do I even have cash?'_

Her knuckles brushed against a familiar object, causing her to stop in her tracks. Wrapping her fingers around it, the small woman pulled out her neon blue cell phone. She stared at it in consideration. _'Can they track a cell phone I wonder? I don't have a GPS in it so I don't think they could.'_

She flipped open the cell and stared incredulously at the screen. There was Serena's smushed face smiling from behind a pile of cookies as if summer had never ended. It was absolutely Ami's favorite picture of her friend and she kept it on her phone since early June. Ami, however, wasn't staring at Serena's crumb covered cheeks, but instead at the bold white letters typed out across the screen.

"168 text messages?" she mumbled softly. "Is it serious?"

She went to open her inbox when a thought struck her. How could her cell phone still be on? She hadn't seen it in over a month. The battery should be dead or the phone company should have shut it off since she hadn't paid her bill. She scowled down at her best friend's face. _'Could they have kept my phone charge so they could see my list of phone numbers? Were they trying to find out who I associate with so they could track down other people with my gift?'_

She thought back to the photograph they had taken of Lita. _'They could be trying to find her.'_

Her finger hovered over the small button that would open her inbox. Inwardly, she began to debate the danger of opening up her text messages. She doubted they could track her cell phone's location and she wasn't calling another phone that they could run to and place a trap. There didn't appear to be any danger to opening her electronic mail.

She exhaled deeply, "Screw it."

She pressed the button. The screen blinked to a long list of names that had sent the texts. She pressed another button and her phone opened the most recent message.

_**Sender: Serena**_

_**Date: 2/10/07**_

_**Message: I miss you. 8:45:23AM**_

She swallowed down the lump in her throat. Shakily, she rolled down the list and opened another text at random.

_**Sender: Rei**_

_**Date: 2/6/07**_

_**Message: Every time I dream I hear you screaming. I don't know what to do. 5:01:32 PM**_

She scrolled down.

_**Sender: Mina**_

_**Date: 2/2/07**_

_**Message: We're trying to find to you. Please, don't lose hope. 11:52:04PM**_

Next one.

_**Sender: Serena**_

_**Date: 1/28/07**_

_**Message: Where are you? I don't know what to do. 1:13:13PM**_

Another.

_**Sender: Luna**_

_**Date: 1/15/07**_

_**Message: We've tried everything. We can't find you. 9:00:02AM**_

Next.

_**Sender: Lita**_

_**Date: 1/9/07**_

_**Message: We'll never give up. We'll find you. 9:54:33AM**_

She flipped the phone shut. Tears filled her eyes again for the millionth time that day. She needed to get home. Now.

There was the sound of feet approaching. Her heart jumped into throat and she hastily scuffled down the alley. She turned behind a corner and began to jog. The sneakers were difficult to navigate. Whenever she went to go right, only half the shoe would follow. She spent more time stumbling than running. She spat out the hair caught in her mouth and ran her hand along the side of the wall.

_'I can't keep this up.'_

Her vision blurred again. Blinking rapidly, she pressed her side against the building and breathed deeply. The air was crisp against her exposed skin. She tasted the cold and felt the prick in her lungs. She could feel water everywhere, but it was wild and free. It wasn't whispering to her like it normally did. It was jeering and dancing around her senses.

She shook her head. _'What's going on? Why does the water feel so wild? So fleeting?'_

Footsteps clapped louder behind her. Blue eyes abruptly spotted the round cover of the sewer entrance. She blinked away her disorientation at the sight. It wasn't the most sanitized route, but it would be out of sight. Unfortunately, she had never taken the opportunity to learn the waterways.

It was her only option. Cracking her knuckles, she focused all her attention of the heavy slab of metal. She couldn't lift it with her bare hands, but perhaps she had enough strength to prop it open. The water giggled as she reached out for the icy concrete. It shifted and bulged, fighting against her command.

_'Come on.'_

It rolled forward after some prodding and slid its fingers into the crack between the lid and the entrance. Her head began to ache as she forced the ice to push up on the heavy circle. As it gradually lifted, its ting fingers engulfed the entire slab. The water shuddered and recrystallized. It was having trouble keeping its form. Her breathing hissed out from her nose as she bit her tongue. It took her nearly a full minute for the lid to be lifted off the ground. The metal circle hung a full foot above her on a thin stilt. It resembled the image of a lamppost.

Wanting to waste no more time, she slid into the hole and began to make her way down the lengthy ladder. Once she was completely in, the ice lamppost collapsed and the lid crashed back home.

Immediately, everything went black. Her hands tightened on the rungs of the ladder and her breathing began to speed up. Those times when she had been locked away in the darkness came back to haunt her. She suddenly couldn't find enough air to breath. The darkness was choking her.

_'Calm down. The walls aren't closing in. This is just a normal reaction to the dark after what you've been through this.'_

Her whimpered echoed in the dark expansion.

_'Think of the girls. Think of how they're in danger.'_

Her limbs shook as she forced her leg downwards.

_'You can get through this. You're not a four year old girl.'_

Her foot hit the floor, but she clung to the ladder.

_'You have fought men with guns. You can handle a little sewer.'_

Slowly, she pried her hands from the steel frame and took several unsteady steps back. She turned to the right and searched for the wall. Feeling the damp, icy concrete, she dug in her shoulder bag for her phone. She pulled it open once she had found it and flipped it open. The bluish light spilled out like a flashlight. She was able to see a good ten feet ahead of her. _'Better than nothing.'_

With a heavy heart, she faced her worst nightmare ever. Ever so often she couldn't hold back her frightened whimpers.

* * *

.. 

She had taken longer than she had hoped, but when she had surfaced from the rank tunnels, she was bulging with energy. As time had progressed, her fear had forced her feet to quicken. Even though it was unnecessary, she had nearly run the entire two miles between her and her home. She was dirty, wet, and worn beyond her reserves.

She had begun to walk the last stretch of her path down through the street that ran parallel to one the house sat. Her eyes darted everywhere from beneath the hood, studying each figure walking sidewalk carefully. Everyone was covered in heavy layers, putting their shoulders into sharp wind as they hurried home. It was hard to keep her heart and feet steady as they passed her. Blood was beginning to collect in her mouth from her long hours of abuse to her lip between her teeth. The shadows stretched further down the way, casting a foreboding feel across her soul. She hurried her feet when there was only a block left between her and the girls.

_'Wait! I'm coming!'_

She began to trot, the over large sneakers slipping across the slick concrete. She gripped her hood as the wind tried to expose her identity to the world. Ami's vision blurred, but she didn't care. She could make the last block with her eyes closed. Colors became gray and shapes shuddered.

The house didn't appear soon enough. Her legs became full of stone and her lungs emptied. She hoped she didn't appear drunk and homeless to the unseen onlookers. They would probably call the cops on her. Then, it wouldn't be long before they connected her face to the tons of fliers posted on all the lampposts.

When she reached the wire fence surrounded the yard, she began to cry. There was Lita's small flower pot inside the kitchen window and Mina's bicycle was chained to the porch. She needed to stop and breath, but there was no use trying to stop her feet. She lurched past the open gate with her eyes firmly planted on the blurry shape of the front door. Anyone could be watching her. The NVerse could be down the street with binoculars, but she didn't care. She was home. Finally home.

She tripped over the lip of the porch and crashed into the door. She scrambled for the doorknob. She turned it, but it was locked into place. The energy in her limbs began to rapidly disappear. Her vision narrowed into a small black tunnel as the door stretched out of reach. Her fingers slid down the white chipped surface.

_'Wait! Wait!'_

Her fist swayed and missed the door as she fell. Her side hit the sunflowers on the welcome mat. The porch creaked under her as her body crumbled into a heap. Color faded to gray and shapes disappeared. Ami blinked once. Twice. And then she was unconscious.

_'Someone…'_

* * *

_**A/N: Woosh. That was a lot of pages. Hope you enjoyed. The next chapter will be out when I get rip it out of my brain. **  
_


	9. Where the Rainbows Turn Grey

_**A/N: I hope there aren't too many mistakes. I ripped this out of my brain and I don't have the time to recheck it. So I uploaded what I had. Hope you enjoy.**  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 9: Where the Rainbows Turn Gray_

* * *

..

_It had been a few months since she had last visited the Queen and her daughter. She had begun to wonder why the queen continued to call for her. She had become close to the daughter, but she didn't believe the queen demanded her presence in the courts once a month. She was a sharp fifteen-year-old. She knew there was something hidden in the beautiful woman's blue eyes. _

_This time her parents had trusted her to trek the path of the stars without their company. She didn't think they were loosening the apron strings, however, when they ordered an entire regime plus a general and her nurse as babysitters. When she heard the ship preparing to dock, she raced to the door in a half-crazed state. It was probably the happiest moment to see the door open and reveal the sparkling peaks of the crystal city. _

_She eagerly marched to the throne room. The general quietly stalked off to a bench at the entrance, allowing her to greet the royal family privately. As a royal princess with no siblings, she had enough trouble making friendships. His hard lined face naturally watched her until she disappeared inside. _

_Ami was shocked to see the queen accompanied not but her mirror image daughter, but three young women wearing armory. She had never seen any of them. More so, she had never seen such odd attire. Their thin robes were graceful pastels that spilled out from underneath gleaming shoulder guards and chest plates. Across their hearts, a different symbol was engraved across the silver metal. The metal had buffed enough so that the rainbow light glittered across their armor like diamonds. Under heavy clothe belts, their robes dripped down into fluttering knee length skirts. _

_The first woman had a hard face that reminding Ami of the general outside. Her expression told the princess that the woman was not happy to be present. These women had been called by the queen. The woman shook her blonde hair out of her sharp, royal blue eyes. Not that there was much hair to toss out. Ami wore her hair short, but this woman was cropped even shorter. _

_The second woman had much longer, curly hair. Hers went down pass her shoulders and it was the most exquisite sea green. It instantly made her think of the coast that crashed along the edge of her family's kingdom back home. Her eyes were warm as she nodded towards the little princess, but Ami could see there was a hint of sadness that lingered in the wrinkles of her smile. Her robes matched the color of her hair just like her companion's hair matched her own attire._

_The last figure caught the most interest from the small girl. Maybe her deep green hair was abnormally long that it reached her ankles, but that was not why Ami was so transfixed. It was the shining purple-silver rod she held. The woman was a little of six feet tall and the staff still surpassed her by a good fifteen inches. What was all striking was that there appear to be tiny teeth along one side of the rod like a key. It couldn't simply be a spear or fancy walking stick. No, there was an essence faintly pulsing within its core. Ami had to focus completely on the rod's core, but she could sense the voice of the staff. _

_"Welcome again, dear Princess. I hope your travel was smooth," the queen expressed gently as she lifted from her seat. Her silver hair fluttered in the rainbow light. _

_Ami switched her focus back to the queen. She quickly remembered her manners and performed a perfect curtsy. "As gentle as butterflies and quicker than shooting stars. The trip seems so short from home and then longer from here."_

_"You've missed, Serenity." Her tone was glad. _

_"Absolutely," Ami smiled. "But I've also missed our discussion as well, my lady queen."_

_There was a smile returned. "As have I. You are far better conversation than some of the other court members."_

_Ami blushed and stood straighter. "Thank you for such a high compliment."_

_The queen lifted a polished hand towards the quiet women, "These are the ladies of the Outer Wall. Lady Amara, Lady Michelle, and Lady Trista."_

_Ami curtsied to the women, "It is an honor."_

_She peeked beneath her eyelashes and studied the women. __**'These are the guardians of the royal family called the Outer Senshi. For years, there were three soldiers, but recently a fourth has been added to the ranks. I wonder where she is.'**_

_"I'm sorry to excuse you so soon, Princess, but Serena has been desperate to see you and I have very important business to speak about with the Outers."_

_Ami straightened with a frank look of surprise. Never had the Queen requested her to leave minutes after her arrival. It must be very important matters to make the queen so eager to speak on them. "Yes, of course."_

_Hastily, the young teenager turned and strode out of the throne. She gave a questioning glance to the queen before she closed the door._

_"Her eyes are sharp," Lady Michelle commented with a melody in her tone. "She's very smart."_

_"She's too weak," Lady Amara interrupted curtly. "She lacks confidence."_

_"She is a teenager," Queen Serenity laughed. "She's just beginning to bloom in the world."_

_Lady Amara angrily crossed her arms, "Even so, I don't believe this is the girl."_

_Queen serenity stared at the sandy blonde before looking to the third senshi. Lady Trista was her usual composed self, dutifully waiting for her lady's command. "What is your opinion, Trista?" _

_The woman closed her eyes and clenched her staff in one hand, "There is much danger in this child. Destiny has yet to decide her fate…"_

_"But?" the queen encouraged, her face stricken. _

_"But there is no doubt that she is the one destiny has chosen to protect the universe. She is the key to protecting the __Silver Millennium__." _

_The queen brightened and fixated her gaze on the crystal ceiling, "I had hoped so. Serenity loves her dearly and Ami is such a lonely child."_

_"Surely, it's another child?" Lady Amara crossed her arms. She tossed her bangs out of her eyes and pointedly stared at the closed doors the little princess had exited. _

_The queen glanced at the stern woman, "You know as well as I that blood does not determine a person's path. It is the stars of fate. Princess Ami is the one chosen as protector."_

_Amara's eyes darted away from the queen. _

_"The match is good," Trista commented evenly. "But there is a cloud that hangs in the near future over Lady Ami. It might be wise to offer more protection for the Moon Princess."_

_Amara scowled, "More Senshi? Do truly consider us to be that weak, Trista?"_

"_Weakness is only measured by the enemies' strength." Trista calmly tapped her staff against the floor. There was a shrill ringing that stretched from the staff. It was like the sound of a dozen whistles. Michelle fidgeted. "Are you prepared to trust a single bodyguard on the safety of the Moon Princess and the crystal? You called the girl weak. How can she defend the universe alone?"_

_The blonde snapped her mouth shut and shifted. This conversation was turning to be very bad for the woman. Trista's lips curved, "Serenity has made close friends with other nobles. Perhaps, it is time to complete the circle of the Senshi."_

_Michelle stepped closer to the queen, "It is a time to be prudent. Sources tell us that the Negaverse is moving."_

_The blonde royal frowned, a clear sign that she pensive. It was rare to ever see her face marred by such a harsh expression. She delicately twisted a strand of loose hair. _

_"Let it be so," Queen Serenity finally proclaimed as she faced the three women. "Outer Senshi of the Silver Millennium, it is your duty to seek out three new protectors for the Moon Princess and complete the circle."_

_Immediately, the soldiers knelt at the woman's feet in the formal action. _

_"I, Lady Amara, Senshi of Wind and Earth, obey."_

_"I, Lady Michelle, Senshi of Sea, obey."_

_"I, Lady Trista, Senshi of Time, obey."_

_Serenity watched numbly as her three most trusted soldiers stood and marched out of her throne room. She had felt the darkness as Trista had. There was a dark fate awaiting the Princess of Mercury. By rite, she as queen should overlook the girl as potential protector of the universe, but the girl was special to her daughter. Besides, the girl was the most brilliant mind she had ever witnessed. As the final defense of the crystal, there was no better candidate. She would have to make sure to put a proper blessing over the girl to ensure her future. _

_The beautiful silver haired woman lifted her palm and revealed the sparkling rose-shaped crystal. It was warm in her palm, caressing the royal's gentle spirit. She studied the shining edges and sighed. "Besides, it is not blood or family that decides a girl's path. The stars decide and they have yet again chosen the new protector of the Silver Crystal. I can only hope that the Princess of Mercury can survive her responsibilities."_

_Her blue eyes rose._

* * *

..

The woman had looked straight at her. It had been as if she could see beyond the dream and straight in to her real beating heart. Gradually her surroundings came into focus. She blinked rapidly, fearful the sight of the familiar chalky yellow walls might disappear. Her fingers slid over the soft cushions as she carefully lifted off her back.

She had barely glanced over her living room when a heavy body collided into her chest. Ami grunted loudly as the air whooshed from her chest.

"You're awake!" Serena squealed loudly. "Thank god!"

"She's awake?" she heard Mina exclaim from the kitchen. Ami tried to peek over her roommate's shoulder, but her blonde pigtail was a curtain over her face. There was a rapid pounding of feet across the hardwood floor.

"Thank heavens!" Lita squealed seconds before something rammed into Serena's back and push Ami back into the cushions. Ami's hands stretched out from the dog pile and tried to pull out the hair in her mouth.

"Give her some air!" Rei yelled sternly. "You want to kill when we barely got her back."

Ami gasped for air as the bodies pulled back and she was able to fill her lungs again. The teary faces of her dearest friends stayed close as they waited for the young woman to recover. The familiar aura of home sunk into her heart, causing a small lump to form in her throat. Ami smiled brightly, "Hey, girls."

Serena's reaction was to immediately attack her again. The silly blonde couldn't contain her happy sobs as she wrapped her arms around her best friend's torso. Half of her body covered the nurse with her legs hanging off in an awkward sprawl. Rei calming sat on the top of the couch while Mina and Lita hugged each other at the armrest. There were tears sparkling all around. "We thought you were dead when we found you on the porch. You were just laying there as if someone had dropped off your body!"

Ami stared down at the golden crown that was making her shirt wet. Her fingers swept over the familiar pair of buns. Her smile couldn't have been bigger. "I'm okay. I just fainted."

"You're sure your okay," Lita rushed to her side, pushing back the nurse's dark blue bangs to check her forehead. "Do you need some water?"

Ami suddenly realized her mouth was horribly dry. She licked her chapped lips. "Yes, please."

Lita hurried to the kitchen and Serena pulled back to look into her friend's face.

"What happened, Ami?" the blonde woman's voice was bleak. "We've been searching everywhere for you."

"We had lost hope this past week," Rei stated softly. "All our leads became walls and Luna, our hope left, sent us a message last week that she had drained all her resources."

"Michelle couldn't remember much from the night when you were taken," Mina nodded. "All she could recall was that they wore black and they had broken the street lamp that was over your car."

Ami blinked. The memory seemed so far away. She could call the struggle and the sight of Michelle in a headlock, but it was an old memory. Her heart lurched as her thoughts mechanically switched to the labs. The touch of electricity shooting through her body, the press of darkness, and the anxiety in her blood…It was all vivid.

She jumped nearly ten feet into the air when a glass of water was shoved too close to her face. Lita quickly pulled it back, "I'm sorry."

Ami exhaled deeply as her mind returned to the safe living room. She gladly took the glass that was covered in little orange clown fishes. "It's okay. I was just lost in thought."

Mina and Lita shared a worried glance as Ami downed the glass. The cold liquid sloshed down her throat. She could almost feel it coating her stomach. She smacked her lips when she finished the entire contents of the glass.

"Here." Lita held out a pair of sugar cookies. Ami's eyes lit up at the sight of her roommate's famous baking. She could already taste the cookies on her tongue. She traded the glass for the cookies and Lita went back to the kitchen for more water. The dark haired girl closed her eyes as she relished the sugary sweet. Oh, how she missed Lita's home cooking.

"I don't mean to push, Ames," Rei stated gently. "But could you please tell us what happened? We've been half out of our minds all month and I don't know if we handle much more waiting."

"Oh yes, please," Mina's blue eyes were wide as she leaned closer.

Ami swallowed and opened her mouth to speak, but her voice caught in her throat. She gaped at the window past the blonde's shoulder. The night had fallen and had swallowed the backyard into blurry dark shapes. Her heart sped up.

_**'If you go back, they'll track you down in a matter of days. They probably already have your house's address. They'll be a dozen eyes keeping your close friends under surveillance…'**_

"Pull the curtains close!" Her shrill cry startled the girls. Mina actually slipped off the arm rest and tumbled to the floor. Ami tried to push Serena off her lap as she made wild hand movements towards the open windows through the room. Everyone was too startled to react.

"Close the curtains!" Ami repeated louder as Lita walked back into the living room. The brunette looked to her other roommates in confusion. "Please, someone!"

Rei was the first to take action and Lita was next to follow. Together the girls were able to rip the curtain close in less than ten seconds. When the dark black boxes disappeared, Ami sighed in relief. Her fingers dug into her scalp and she took long deep breaths. The girls watched as the little woman's shoulders began to shake. Ami swallowed nervously, _'I forgot. For the briefest moment, I had relaxed for the first time all month and forgot about the danger.'_

She bit down on her lower lip and screwed her eyes shut as if she was in pain. _'That's why I came…I wanted to find rest.'_

"Ami?"

_'I wanted to breathe.'_

"Ami?"

She sullenly lifted her head and focused on the worried expressions surrounding her. Ami's chest became tight. _'I'm such a fool.'_

"Ami, why did you want the curtains close?"

The nurse look to the blonde with pigtails and was overwhelmed by the girl's huge eyes. She broke down into sniveling sobs right in roommate's face. Wet spots dotted the blanket as she clutched the orange weave. Serena quickly wrapped her into her arms, "Ami, please, don't cry."

"I'm such an idiot!" she whimpered in the girl's embrace.

"What?" Mina mumbled. She looked to the others who were just as perplexed.

"I shouldn't have come here!" Ami hissed from under her curtain of blue hair. "I should have run."

"I think she's going through shock," Lita mumbled. "Maybe we should get her mother."

Rei went for the phone on the wall, "Yea."

_**'…**__**the phones will be tapped.'**_

"No!" Ami cried, shooting her arm towards the woman. "Don't call her!"

The dark hair priestess held the phone half-way to her ear, "Huh?"

"Don't call anyone! Especially Mom!" Ami gripped the seat cushion with a death grip. She half-tempted to jump over the head of the couch and tackle the woman. "The phones are tapped."

"Tapped?" Serena leaned back. "What are you talking about?"

Ami ignored her, "Just hang up the phone, Rei?"

The priestess was uncertain and glanced at the object in her hand.

"Please," the nurse persisted, eyes pleading.

Gradually, Rei hung up the cordless phone and gave the small woman a stern look. Ami sunk back into the cushion and watched her walked back towards the couch. Crossing her arms, the beautiful priestess silently demanded an explanation. Ami hung her head, "I was kidnapped by a group of scientists."

Lita sucked in sharp breath of air, "Oh my god."

Mina threw a hand over her mouth.

"They know. Don't they?" Serena whispered with a fearful tone.

Ami gave a slight nod. Her hands began to shake and she hastily hid them under the blanket. "I don't know how they found out. They never said."

"But they knew?"

"They knew only about me. They know there are others, but they don't know anyone else's identity."

Mina went rigid, "That's why they left Michelle. We kept thinking it was just a random thug because if they knew about our powers they would have taken Michelle, too."

Lita agreed, "We never considered the possibility that they only knew about one of us."

Serena covered Ami's shaking hands with one of her soft ones, "What happened?"

"Let's just say it wasn't anything I've every experience," Ami stated evenly as her eyes became cloudy. "They knew if they weren't careful I would have been able to escape. They didn't even give me water to drink. They kept me hydrated through IVs when I was unconscious. I was always fighting to stay awake."

The dark cell came back to her as clear as glass. She could feel the brittle concrete and stank of stale air. The dark was heavy. She blinked rapidly and brought her mind back to the real living room.

"I heard you screaming," Rei stated lowly. "It must have been awful."

Ami could describe it no other way. "Awful…"

"How did you get away?" Lita took a seat on the coffee table.

Ami looked away, "Someone rescued me."

Serena's eyebrows rose, "Who?"

The young woman immediately thought of his strawberry blonde hair, "I don't know who he was, but he's name was Z-Zachary Greene."

Serena glanced to the others, but the girls shook their heads. They had never crossed path with that name.

"He saved my life," the little woman's voice was hollow. She had deserted him without a second thought. All he had done was freed her from that hellhole and she had turned tail. Maybe she had been hysterical from a month of being held against her will, but she shouldn't have thrown away his help or not offer proper gratitude. _'I was recovering from the worst experience of my life. How could I have not been paranoid about some random stranger showing up to my rescue?'_

"How did you get here, Ames? I mean where is this mysterious Zach Greene?"

She flinched, "Well, I-I ran."

"You ran?" Mina was aghast. "You ran away?"

Ami was beginning to feel like a fish out of water, "I-I wanted to get home."

"Did you thank the guy first?"

"I d-don't remember…"

"Ami!"

"Hey, stop!" Rei stamped her foot, commanding the attention of the room to snap to her sour face. The room became deathly quiet. Marching noisily over to the other end of the couch, the beautiful priest stood behind Ami and placed both her hands gently on the nurse's shoulders. "She went through Hell and back. If she wanted to come home instead of staying with a stranger, then that's her business."

Ami slowly looked up at the angry profile of her dear friend, gratitude swelling in her chest like a balloon. Rei glanced down at her and Ami noticed the dark circles under the woman's eyes. Rei must have been overcome by nightmares about her. She could remember the nights when Rei had first come to live in the large house. Rei had screamed blood murder for a solid week about a mass murderer before they were able to catch the maniac. Rei must be the most sleep deprived out of the house.

"Thanks," Ami mumbled, ducking behind the security of her bangs. "I didn't mean to run, but I had wanted someplace… _warm_." Her voice stumbled over the last word. There was no other way to explain it. The girls, the house, her life—it was all she had that could keep her mind from shutting down. As it was, she slipping dangerously close to psychological trauma. Her anger at Zoisite's apartment was proof.

_Zoisite…that name…_

She had never heard of that name, but it still rung a bell in her head.

_Who are you?_

"They'll be after me soon," Ami stated loudly for the room to hear. "They could already be outside."

The girls went rigid. Ami began to cry quiet tears, "I'm one of the smartest minds in this city and I was still foolish enough to put you all in danger. I'm so sorry."

Her head was ready to disappear into her chest with how low she was hanging it.

"Ami—"

She hastily interrupted Lita's sorrowful tone, "You don't get it. These people are going to let me go. I don't know who they are or where they are located, but that doesn't matter to them."

Lita's snapped her jaw close.

"I was something special," her voice became soft velvet. "They believe I'm more than some girl who can do water tricks. They think I'm some princess."

"Princess?"

"What are you talking about, Ames?"

"It's a long story, but in short, they aren't giving up on me." Gently, Ami pushed Serena back and stood up. "If I leave now I might be able to still save you from getting involved."

No one spoke immediately, but it was Lita who spoke first.

"Bull!" the brunette yelled, rising to meet the other woman's determined stare. "There's no way in Hell we're going to let you walk out that door!"

"After you just got back!" Mina added.

"They'll find about you, too!" Ami whirled around, looking for an exit. "I won't let you go through what I did."

Serena grabbed the petite nurse's arm, "You know we won't let you do this alone."

"Ami, you came back home because you wanted to be with us," Rei stated as she came along her other side. "We're family. We've been family for nearly ten years. There's no chance of us letting you walk out of our lives in the middle of night with no promise of ever seeing you again."

"I'll come back!" Ami insisted softly, trying to twist her arms out of their grips. "I have to!"

"When, Ames?" Lita prodded closing the circle. "When they stop looking for you? When will that happen?"

Ami grew stiff and tears spilled out. She couldn't fight them all. "Please, let me go. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to any of you."

"Same goes for us about you," Mina whispered. "We're a team. We're not letting you do this alone."

* * *

..

Ami sat silently on her bed two hours later. By Mina's command she had been forced to bed, but she couldn't sleep. She was too afraid to sleep. She was worried that if she closed her eyes she would wake up back in that nightmare lab with that evil darkness. She would tremble every time she would put her head onto her pillow.

The girls were smart to consider she needed the rest, but all she was able to do was stare at her drawn curtains and think about what might be waiting outside the front door. While she was supposed to sleep, the girls were supposed to pack for their escape out of the city. Lita and Rei were to be on guard down stairs while Mina and Serena packed as little clothes as possible for the trip.

Ami sighed and propped her elbows on her knees. She looked down at the shoes she had left at her door. Next to the huge shoes, she had folded up his clothes in a neat pile, for what reason she wasn't sure. There was little chance she might see him again. Maybe she could mail it to him. He might still come looking for her. She wondered what he had done when he had discovered his apartment was empty. Was he shocked? Afraid? Angry? Hurt?

She shifted her face away. There was nothing more she could do for him. He said he needed to leave his apartment because the NVerse was closing in on his location.

Her mind clicked, _'NVerse... My dream said something about…'_

_**"It is a time to be prudent. Sources tell us that the Negaverse is moving."**_

She scowled, _'Strange. My dream…'_

Ami shook her head and walked across the room. _'I've been under stress. It's very possible that elements of my daily life would show up in my dreams. Like Amara and Michelle.'_

She raked her fingers through her hair. The logic was sound, but her stomach was uneasy. Somehow the dream didn't feel right. It had felt _real._

"Impossible," she mumbled, whirling a pacing across the room. "It was a dream. Nothing more."

Her stomach twisted violently. The dream filtered back to her memory with frightening detail. Bile rushed up her throat. She clamped a hand over her mouth and bolted for the bathroom. She was glad no body was in the hall, she didn't feel like explaining her dreams to them after her lengthy explanation of the NVerse's insane religion. She gripped the edge of the cold seat and emptied her stomach.

Cold sweat dripped down her face. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and tried not to focus on the chunks of cookies swirling in the bowl. She squeezed her eyes shut. _'I need to calm down. I'm freaking out over a dream.'_

Her hand blindly found the lever and flushed away her dinner. Grudgingly, she pushed back to her feet. She walked over the sink and splashed some cold water on to her face. She cupped a little water in her hands and drank to clear the fire in her throat. She sighed heavily with relief. Ami wearily strolled out of the bathroom.

The hallway creaked as she wandered back to her bedroom. The house wasn't feeling as safe as it had earlier. Her emotions had finally leveled and now, she felt exposed and cornered. There was heavy tension with each ticking minutes like waiting for a bomb to go off. Any minute the house would be attacked and the girls would start yelling. In truth, she was surprised that they had yet to come.

She pushed opened her bedroom door and slipped inside. She froze in the doorway when she met darkness. Her hand went for the light switch. _'I didn't turn out my lights when I went to the bathroom.'_

"Don't turn the lights on," a familiar voice spoke from the shadows.

Her hand stopped just as the brushed over the switch. "Mr. Greene?"

A shadow shifted and his figure stepped in front of the moonlight curtains.

"Please, don't be afraid." He coaxed. He raised his hands. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Ami glanced over her shoulder and into the hall. She didn't see the girls. Quietly, she closed the door. When it clicked behind her, her emotions swayed. She was stupidly caging herself with the man. "How did you get in here?"

"I have a knack for stealth," he commented slyly. "The front door isn't the only way inside."

He saw her glance towards the window, but he didn't say more. Ami frowned, "Why are here?"

"There on their way here," he stepped forward. Ami hastily pressed herself against her door. He quickly stopped and sighed. "You only have thirty minutes. You need to get out of here."

"How do you know that?" she lowered her voice to a mere whisper, fearful the girls might hear.

"I was able to overhear the orders on my radio." He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. His green eyes were bright in the moonlight. "This evening someone called the police department with a sighting of the missing nurse from Red River. They said they saw you in front of a coffee shop. The NVerse caught wind of it and immediately dispatched three units to your house."

"Crap," Ami's heart sank. "Why didn't they see me enter my house? I thought you said my house would be under surveillance."

Zachary shrugged, "I don't know. I think maybe they thought you would be too weak to make it back to your house on your own. They were probably more concerned with finding where I was thinking you would still be with me."

Her eyes connected with his green ones. The question that had bothering her for hours could no longer stay in her. "Why are you doing this?"

He looked away seconds before she could read anything from his eyes.

"I don't want you to get hurt." His body had gone stiff and his tone was tired.

Her eyes narrowed, "Is it because you feel responsible for me?"

His face lifted, but she didn't stop. "Is it because you were part of the NVerse and now you regret helping them?"

His face dropped into to shock, "I didn't—"

"That's the only explanation to how you know about them and everything that's happening," she countered softly. She straightened and added two inches to her height. She might not be the most confident girl in the house, but she couldn't escape the terrible logic swirling in her head. "How else were you able to find me? How else could you have infiltrated that horrible place? How else could you have found me days before the warehouse incident?"

"It's not like that!" He insisted hotly.

"Then, please, explain it," she whispered with a tired expression. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to let go of the paranoia constricting her heart, but that dark cloud still hovered over her. It kept whispering at her to stay away from the man. Maybe it had something to do with her father leaving her or maybe with Greg cheating on her. It didn't matter. All that did was that she couldn't cross the three feet between her and her rescuer to offer her gratitude. "I don't want to be mean. In all honesty, I should apologize for yelling at you earlier and give you proper thanks, but after a month of…"

Her words trailed off as she thought of the man speaking to her from the shadows. She thought of the nameless doctors who had shoved needles into her arms.

"Sorry, I'm not ready to trust a stranger," she muttered, eyes downcast.

His boots shifted into view and she quickly lifted her face to find his centimeters from hers. His eyes traced the contours of her face as he inhaled the scent of fresh soap. He knew he should back off, but he couldn't shake off the dread lingering in his chest. When he had seen the apartment empty, he had nearly had a heart attack. Seeing her alive and in the moonlight, an old memory had hit him. One that made his throat run dry. "I completely understand. It's not fair to think you're ready to trust someone after what happened, but I hope I can still win that trust."

"You don't have to do anything more," she found her voice box beginning to fail her. He was too close. "You already freed me."

"I'm not about to let you get caught again."

"The girls and I can handle it," she insisted. Her eyes unconsciously dropped to the mouth that was growing closer. She didn't notice that she was breathing faster. The air was growing hot.

"You don't understand," he whispered, his eyes looked straight into her heart. "I owe you a great debt and I have yet to fulfill it."

She licked her dry lips, "Debt?"

He tried to ignore the movement, but he wasn't unable to stop his eyes. Oh, how he wished things were different. He wanted her to remember, but at the same time he was glad she didn't remember. "I'll explain another time."

She swallowed, "Could you please give me some space?"

"Nervous, little mouse?" he whispered. It was always exciting to see her cheeks flush.

"Little mouse?"

"I still remember that hat you wore," he smirked.

Ami's face grew hot as she remembered the blue mouse cap she had wore back at the coffee house. She groaned lightly and covered her face. He laughed warmly when he heard the muffled, "I forgot."

Stepping back, he eyed her. "I do have a question for you."

He waited till she was able to peek out from behind her hands, "Did you open my box of stones?"

She anxiously bit her lip. She had been caught.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

He hastily shook his head, "It's okay. I just want to know if anything happened when you opened them."

She straightened, _'How…'_

He didn't give her time to answer. Her eyes had told him enough. Something had happened. Something big. He quickly dug into his back pocket. "I brought you something that might help you better understand."

Her eyes stared down at the small beaten journal held out to her in the stream of moonlight. Underneath the book, he had the clothes she had worn the night she had been kidnapped. They were newly clean. She gave him a questioning look.

"Just read it. It's my study of the _Senshi_ religion of the NVerse. It could help you." He pushed it into her hands. She looked down at and studied the ragged edges of the cover. It must have months of use worn into the pages.

"You should get the girls into the car and get out of here. You only have fifteen more minutes."

She jerked her face up and found only an empty room. Her heart lurched. _'That's impossible!'_

She looked to the window and was surprised to see it was untouched, _'Impossible…'_

Her bright blue eyes gave one final glance down at the journal before her anxiety burst through her chest and she ripped open her bedroom door.

* * *

..

Lita threw the last bags into the back of the silver jeep as Mina locked the front door. Serena and Rei led Ami to the garage that was in the back of the driveway. They hoped they could hide her between them and out of unfriendly view. Mina sprinted down the porch. Rei hastily opened the door behind the driver seat for the small intern and Serena helped Ami duck inside. Lita closed the baggage area and hurried around the jeep.

The blonde woman held out her rabbit keychain, "How about you drive, Lita? You're the safest when it comes to high speed races."

Lita nodded and hurried into the driver's seat while Mina took the seat next to her. Rei and Serena placed themselves on either side of the small nurse ducking low in the backseat. When the last door closed, Lita hit the gas and raced down the driveway.

"Did you get all the cash we had, Serena?" Rei asked loudly over the roaring engine.

"There was only about a hundred dollars in the house."

Lita cursed under her breath, "That won't get us far. Did you pack the camping gear, Mina?"

"I got the sleeping bags, but there wasn't enough room for the tents!"

"That'll be okay. It will probably be warmer to sleep in the jeep."

The vehicle swerved out onto the street and Lita switched on the headlights. Ami gripped Serena's arm as she collided into Rei. "Don't drive too crazy, Lita. We don't want the police to pull us over. They might recognize me."

"I'd hate to explain that one," Mina exclaimed sourly. "They might think we were you're kidnappers or that we were all runaways."

"We're over twenty!" Rei grumbled. "How could we be runaways?"

Lita glanced at the rearview mirror, "Don't know, but either way I rather not explain this crazy story."

Rei looked over the backseat, "You see the car behind us, Lita?"

The girls went rigid and whirled to look out the back window. The brunette scowled into the rearview mirror, "I see it! The one that hasn't turned on its headlights, right?"

"That's the one!" Rei pushed Ami's head further behind the seat. "I don't think they know that we see them."

Lita smiled devilishly, "Don't worry. I'll give them a wake up call."

Ami looked up at her friend and saw her lift a hand off the wheel. Her forefinger pressed against her thumb and the woman went rigid. From her awkward position half-way off the seat, she tried to reach out for the woman. "No, Lita—"

The brunette snapped her fingers and the headlights on the car behind them exploded. Green and blue sparks sprayed out from under the hood. Almost instantly the car behind them revved up.

"Lita, did you just get the headlights?" Rei yelled. "Take out the whole engine!"

"Working on it!" the brunette snapped as she jerked the jeep left to dodge a slow moving Volvo. "It's a little difficult to drive this way and kill a car battery without making it a bomb on the road."

Rei yanked out her Zippo lighter. "I'll do it!"

"No!" Ami cried, throwing her hand over the lighter. "You'll have to lean out the window to use it. Then, they'll see you."

"They probably already saw us at the house get into the jeep!" the priestess retorted.

"Let's not chance it!" Ami replied firmly. She twisted in her seat and knelt on the backseat. Peeking over the cushions, she eyed the car tailing them. "Let me do it!"

"But Ames!" Serena exclaimed. "You're still a bit sick. Let one of us—"

"Then they'll know about you're gifts!" Ami interrupted. "It's better if I do it. I'll be fine."

Mina studied the woman's pale skin. "But Ames—"

The car swerved again, jostling the girls. Ami didn't wait for the others to restart the conversation. She lifted her hand over the seat and reached out for the ice covering the edge of the car's windshield. The water eagerly jiggled on the windshield and slowly drifted towards the hood. Ami squinted in the dark, trying to see the hood as the lampposts flashed light momentarily over the vehicle. There were two people in the car. She couldn't see their features. She felt Serena's warm hand on her shoulder and she pushed her concentration harder on the ice. The water slipped down beneath the hood and soon it became a game of feeling her way through the engine. She bit down on her lip as a headache began to form. There was familiar blue light ghosting over the cushions, but she ignored it.

"Ami?"

She pressed herself harder and made the water wrap around every exposed piece of the engine. The water plunged though the wires and slipped over the battery. In seconds, a thick layer of ice coated the entire network of machinery. It was long before the car behind them began to cough loudly.

Ami clenched her teeth and forced the ice to grow thicker. She needed the car's engine to quit. One of the figures in the car hastily pulled down his window and stuck his torso outside. Long white hair flashed in the streetlamp and gave her a momentary glimpse of his face and the gun he held.

Luckily before he could let go a round, the car coughed its last and began to slow. The gunman was jerked by sudden drop in speed and accidentally dropped back inside the vehicle. Lita slammed on the gas and pulled away from the car before they knew what happened.

Ami was so relieved that she slid back down into the seat. Her limbs felt like jelly. Her eyes were closed in seconds too exhausted to refuse her body's command for rest. As she fell asleep, the girls all stared at her forehead and the blue symbol that was rapidly fading.

"Oh my," Serena whispered, pushing back the girl's blue bangs for a better look. "It's just like she said."

"Could it be true?" Mina wondered out loud. "Could she be some special princess?"

Rei's eyes were hard, "I don't know."

"That doesn't matter now," Lita stated sourly. "We need to worry about a place to hide out. They'll trace our location if we use our bank or credit cards so it would have to either free or dirt cheap."

Serena's nose curled, "Gross."

"Shut up, meatball head," Rei snapped.

Mina nodded towards Lita, a look of familiar determination coming across her soft face. "I think I know a place to stay for a day or two. We could get our bearings and even get some real food in us."

Lita looked at her through the corner of her eyes, afraid to take her eyes off the road for too long. "Is it cheap?"

"It's free," Mina smiled. "My cousin is renting a small house on the outskirts of the next town over. His roommate is supposed to be out for a week and he owes me a few favors."

Serena pulled Ami into her lap while Rei propped the nurse's legs onto hers. Pillowing the sleeping girl's head with an extra coat they had brought, the blonde woman worriedly looked up at her blonde twin. "What do we tell him?"

Mina grinned merrily, "Don't worry. I'll handle Jadeite."

* * *

_**A/N: Hehehe...Anyone see that coming?  
**_


	10. Dead Ends

_**A/N: Woah, another long chapter pushed out of my brain. I wanted to make it longer, but I decided this was a good stopping point. Besides, the next chapter is going to be close to the same length. I'd rather get out a faster update than an extremely looooonnng, exhausted chapter. **  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 10: Dead Ends_

* * *

..

_"You seem tired today?"_

_"I couldn't fall asleep last night," Ami replied softly as she watched the soldiers march out across the courtyard. Her eyes followed their stiff strides, burning it into her memory. They crossed their arms across their chest when they came to attention. It was right arm with the forearm across their heart. She unconsciously followed the motion. _

_Serena smiled as she studied her best friend, "Did you want to join the army, Ami?'_

_The young girl hastily straightened. There was a rosy blush on her cheeks as she turned to the pigtailed blonde that was giggling. The sunlight spilled through the overhead branches in the size of full bloomed flowers. Their youth already brought an exceptional beauty to the pair, but the spots of light made them appear to be wispy angels in a heavenly green background. _

_"It's just interesting to watch the formality of soldiers," she commented evenly. She turned back to the ranks to see the three Senshi walking down the lines towards the docks. "Soldiers are meant to be brutal fighters yet there is still a delicate order of honor and precision. It's just remarkable to take in."_

_Serena cocked her head to side, letting her long pigtails drag across the emerald grass. "You're sounding like a book again."_

_"Sorry," Ami mumbled, eyes on the three women below. "Can't always help it."_

_Serena shrugged, "The only reason I like watching the soldiers is because their so cute!"_

_Ami rolled her eyes. _

_"Men are attractive in uniform," the blue haired princess replied sweetly. She definitely agreed with the comment, but she wasn't as obsessed as the other princess. At least, she didn't spend her time trying to duck out of class to watch the men train._

_After a few moments, Ami lost sight of the Senshi. She was disappointed to have lost sight of them. They had stirred her curiosity. "Serena, do you know when you're mother will announce the ceremony?"_

_"Ceremony?" Serena inquired, half-distracted by the men marching back into the castle. "What ceremony?"_

_"The one where your mother inducts the new Senshi," Ami stated patiently. _

_Serena stirred out of her drooling, "New Senshi?"_

_Ami smiled. Even though a lot of people ignored when she started talking bookish, Serena was always the one who would listen attentively (or at least to tell her to talk English). The only way she would ever ignore her was when boys were around._

_"There are rumors that your mother has found the new Senshi and is planning to introduce them to the court soon," she stated as she sat cross-legged in the white daises. _

_Serena placed her cheek into her open palm, "You've been listening in on your mother's conversations again."_

_"Can't help it that their so loud."_

_"Or the door's so thin," Serena's grin widened._

_Ami laughed merrily. Her face was bright and sunny, a rarity for the lonesome princess. Her sundress drifted lightly in the wind. _

_"You're mother told me she had something very important she wanted to discuss with my mother," Ami whispered excitedly. "Do you know what?"_

_Serena straightened, "No, she never told me anything."_

_The little blue-haired teenager hurried to her knees. Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously, "You want to go find out! I bet if we beg she'll tell."_

_Serena rapidly became excited, "If not, I'm sure we can guilt her in to taking us to see the ocean!"_

_Ami grabbed the blonde's hand and yanked her to her feet. Her blue hair tossed around her bright smile, "Come on!"_

_Their laughter faded off towards the castle. _

* * *

..

Ami woke up to Serena snoring loudly into her ear. She smiled even though there was trail of wet drool on her shoulder. Carefully, she lifted her head off the girl's lap. When she saw her feet on her other sleeping friend's lap under a warm sleeping bag, her smile widened. She had the best of friends. Never before had anyone ever loved her as unconditionally as they did. Making sure not to wake them, Ami pulled up into a seating position.

Seating in the driver's seat, Mina glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "How're you doing?"

Ami yawned and felt her blood pumping excitedly. Her body ached, but it was refreshed. "Better."

"Good. We're heading to my cousin's house," Mina replied, eyes back on the road. Ami shifted forward and knelt between the two front seats. Lita was sleeping against the window, wrapped in her own sleeping bag. Her cheek was slipping precariously down the glass plane with the sunrise lifted up pass her wavy brown hair. Ami wished she had her camera to take a picture. The idea turned sour when she remembered what was happening. The whole reason this cute moment was here was because they were running for their lives.

"We're going to Jedite's?"

Mina perked up, "You know him?"

Ami sighed, "Mom tried to set me up with him."

Mina slapped the wheel and laughed. Ami hurried to remind her that the girls were sleeping. The blonde covered her mouth, but continued to giggle. "That's hilarious."

Ami's chest constricted. "Why is that funny?"

"It's just that he is totally not your guy, Ames," Mina smiled gently. "No offense. It's just the guy is arrogant and beyond stubborn. When you meet him, you'll understand."

"He did look like a pretty boy" Ami muttered, remembering the photo of him lying on the red mustang. She had thought he was the wrong guy for her.

"I'm telling you, Ames, he needs someone who will stand toe-to-toe against him and keep up with his snappish wit."

That definitely wasn't her. Ami could hold her own in a fight, but she was too shy and nervous to keep her own against a hothead. Mina knew; that's why she didn't agree with the match. And, Mina was the Queen of Hearts when match-making was involved.

Mina gave her a warm look in the rearview mirror, "Don't worry, Ami. I see passionate love in your future!"

Ami cocked her eyebrow, "You being playing Rei's fire chants again."

The blonde grinned, "Woman's intuition."

The petite woman blushed profusely as she thought of her strawberry blonde rescuer. She could still remember him leaning over her with his smoky green eyes staring at her intently. It made her blood pump faster.

"We're about fifteen minutes away from Jedite's house," Mina commented quietly as the jeep slowed at a stop sign. "Hopefully, he won't be too cranky being woken this early."

Her heartbeat slowed as Ami glanced at the clock, "It's only eight o'clock."

"Jedite never sees the sunrise, even when it's this late in the morning," she replied as she turned the corner. "He's a night owl."

The town was a rural in comparison to the busy streets of the city. There were very few stores on the road and only two competing gas stations. She was even surprise that there wasn't a single office building with more than one level. Even so, it was still very homey, especially with the heavy layer of snow frosting the buildings.

"It took that long to get here?" Ami asked. "Surely, we aren't that far out of the city."

Mina was busy checking street signs. "Nah, we stopped got some gas and swapped drivers. Another time we pulled over for a bathroom break and to stretch our legs."

The next street that drove down led into a small neighborhood with vast yards. There were dogs trotting through the snow, barking behind wire fences. Chimneys were smoking and the first sign of life was stirring out the houses and heading to work. Ami was happy to see the seclusion. The fewer eyes, the better chance no would pass through unnoticed.

"This is it!" Mina chirped, pointing to a yellow house on the left.

Ami immediately liked the little home. It had about three acres of land with a wooden fence along the sides and backyard. There was a porch that wrapped around the entire house with swing on the side facing the basketball goal. There was a two car garage in the back. It was a good family home.

"Wake up, everybody!" Mina squealed. The girls jerked in their seats. Lita glared pointedly at the blonde driver, not the least bit happy being woken in such a rude way.

"Next time, Mina, use a lower decibel." Her fingers raked through her tangled hair and yank it back into a high ponytail. "Now what do you want?"

"You could use a big cup of coffee, Ms. Sunshine," Mina stated sourly.

"Then next time have it ready!" Rei snapped, obviously another unhappy person. She tossed back her long mane and snorted in disgust at how tangled it was. "I need a shower."

"We're here!" Mina repeated loudly as she pulled the jeep into the driveway.

Ami eyed the quiet profile of the house, suddenly nervous. "You sure this is a good idea? What are we going to tell him?"

"Yea, Mina?" Serena yawned loudly as she blinked back tears.

"I'll handle it," the other blonde stated firmly. She parked the car and everyone stared out the window. They each were anxious to get inside, yet they couldn't find the motivation to exit the vehicle.

"You sure he's in?"

"Maybe we should go somewhere else."

"I got it!" Mina repeated louder, shoving her door open and stalking out of the car. The girls watched silently as the blonde marched around to the porch with a vivid scowl.

Ami hastily pushed Serena aside and scrambled over the girl's lap. She pulled the door handle, "I'm going with her."

_'It's only fair that I go with her. All this mess is because of me. It doesn't feel right if I'm not involved. It's like having a babysitter.' _Her sneakers slapped onto the concrete and she swung the door close before the girls could say anything to stop her. She tucked her hands into her warm pullover and jogged around the jeep. Mina had already reached the door. With a bright smile, she was waited for someone to answer the doorbell. Mina started when she heard the feet racing across the porch.

"Ames, I got it," she repeated with an irritated look.

"I know," Ami smiled, coming up alongside her roomie. "I just want to be help."

Mina went to open her mouth, but the opening door cut her off. The two girls whirled and faced the house's occupant. At present, the man was the exact opposite of the glossy photo Ami had received from her mother. His hair had the prefect pillow head look. It was matted on one side while the other side was sticking up all over the place. There was a red toothbrush hanging out of his mouth like a cigarette and a blue t-shirt that said "Franklin High Football" in heavy yellow letters. Ami nearly laughed out loud when she saw the red rubber duckies with little black horns covering his pajama bottoms. Jedite's passed a disoriented hand across his cloudy eyes. He squinted, "Mina?"

The toothbrush bounced in his mouth.

"Hey, Jed!" She chirped innocently.

His eyes flashed and became instantly awake. His gaze turned icy, "What are you doing here?"

She laughed lightly, playing the perfect piece of sunshine. "I've come to cash in a favor."

Jed's scowl deepened, "You're here to cash in a favor at eight in the morning?"

Ami was surprised to see her smile didn't waver. "Long story. I'll tell you later when you have more awake.

"You've got pissy timing, Mina," he grunted. "Work's been brutal lately. I haven't even gotten a full night's sleep in the past week."

"Don't worry. My favor isn't hard to fill."

"Yea, right. Last time you said that I was helping you do a twelve hour crash course of Calculus II." He began to close the door. Mina hastily shoved her foot in the way and propped her elbow on the doorframe. Jed glared at her, "Move."

"I promise this favor you will like!" she said in a sing-song voice.

His blue eyes were stony. "It's eight in the morning. I already don't like it."

"Doesn't matter!" Mina grinned wickedly as she leaned closer to him. "Even if you don't respect the fact that you owe a dozen favors for the time I bailed you out of jail—"

"Are you still on that?" he growled, yanking the toothbrush out of his mouth with a tight fist. "You already took five favors out for that time. Besides, the arrest was gag by the guys. It wasn't even a real arrest."

"Hey!" Mina's face went dark and she shoved her forefinger in his face. "I had to date that ugly twerp from the station to get you out. Real arrest or not? I had to exchange a hot date for your nerdy one so you owe me big!"

"Mike wasn't that bad!"

"He ate butter straight from the foil at the restaurant!"

Jed faltered while Ami's had to cover her face from laughing. She remembered that night. It was the night everyone had been busy studying for finals when Mina had stormed into the house covered in pancake syrup, ranting. To say the least, they had given up studying because they were too busy laughing over her tragic blind date.

"I owe you," he sighed painfully. "What do you want?"

Mina's innocent smile return and she hastily grabbed Ami's arm. Pulling the startled nurse into the doorframe, Mina hugged her roomie into her side. His blue eyes widened when he spotted Ami for the first time. "Can you house five gorgeous women for a few days?"

Jed blinked as he dumbly held his toothbrush halfway into his mouth. His eyes were firmly planted on Ami. "Huh?"

She fluttered her eyelashes at her cousin, "Told you it would be a favor you liked?"

The muscles around the man's eyes tightened, but he smiled brilliantly. He pushed Mina aside and grabbed the blushing nurse's hand. She had to admit he did have a dashing smile, but his hair looked horribly funny at the moment. It was helping her stay clam when he kissed her knuckles.

"I warmly offer my castle to you, my lady," he gushed.

Ami felt her face burn hotly. Mina quickly knocked his hand away with a roll of her eyes. "Don't be stupid, Jed. You're no knight especially in that crazy getup."

"Shut up, Mina," he said as he straightened. He stretched his arms over his head and spun around into the house. "I'm making a wild guess and say the rest of the girls are waiting in the car. Bring them in. I'm going take a quick shower to wake me up out of this dream. When I get out, you better be ready to explain."

"Thanks, Jed," Mina cried. She yanked Ami down the porch and began yelling for the girls.

* * *

..

A few minutes later, the girls were all sitting on stools around the island in the kitchen, waiting for the pot of coffee to finish brewing. They had thrown their things into a corner of the living room and hid the jeep behind the back of the house. Lita had taken the time to check the yard for extra measures, but there wasn't anything suspicious to be found. Ami doubt there would have been. If they had successful lost the NVerse, then they were fairly safe at Jedite's house for a few days.

Rei yawned, "Is it ready yet?"

"Almost," Serena replied, glaring at the steaming pot. "I'm glad he keeps coffee."

Mina began opening cabinets in a search for mugs. "Jed would die without his coffee. If he ever needs to go into the office early, his boss reminds him to bring in his travel mug. He's a brat without his caffeine."

Rei eyed the blonde, "Sounds like someone we know."

Lita pulled out a box of pancake mix, "I'll make breakfast."

Mina yanked open the dishwasher and found the top level filled with mugs. It was an outrageous number for two people living in one house. She pulled out a cup for each of them and then pulled open the bottom rack. Mina held out the frying pan to the brunette.

Serena brightened at the sight of the yellow box, "Yum. Could we do chocolate chip pancakes?"

Lita shrug, "See any chocolate chips?"

The pigtailed blonde rushed from her stool over to the nearest cabinet. She made short work of searching through the contents and hastily switched to the next area of storage. Rei watched the girl with slight fascination.

"Serena always forgets she's tired the moment food is involved," she mumbled. The focused blonde suddenly burst out from behind one of the cabinets holding a large half-eaten bag of chocolate chips like a trophy.

"Found 'em!" she cheered as she skipped over to Lita. The brunette smiled knowingly and tossed half the bag contents into the batter she had started. Serena sly stole a handful and strolled back to the coffee pot. Shoving her chin in her hand, she resumed her previous glare at the evil appliance. Ami giggled softly to herself at the sight. Serena was almost bipolar when it came to food and caffeine. Never get between her and her meals. Serena pushed away from the irritably slow pot and sank onto one of the stools.

"I wish it was faster," Serena whined.

"Shut up, Meatball head," Rei hissed darkly. "We really can't take your whining when we're sleep deprived."

Ami glanced over her friends. They were heavy lines in all their faces. Even their skin seemed paler than normal. Why hadn't she noticed this yesterday? The last month had done a horrible toll on their bodies. They constant searching and anxiety had pushed them over the edge. They had even dropped out of school for the family under the title of a "family emergency." A lot had been ruined by NVerse's actions.

She looked back down at her laptop's blue screen. She went back to her work.

---------------------

_**- wireless network connected**_

_**- Run mouse.exe**_

_**- open network.466**_

_**- network.466 open**_

_**- Password request**_

----------------------

A small blue mouse appeared on the screen. It was a horribly, drawn image, but she was proud enough to say she had created the image through a paint program. All it was actually was an oval with two circles for ears, two dots for eyes, and a swirling line for a tail. She had given it some small animation, but in short it was a limited image she used when she was hacking systems.

"What are you up to, Ami?" Serena asked as she peeked at the screen. "Oh, what a cute little drawing! Is that a puppy?"

"It's a mouse," she replied evenly.

"Oh, sorry," Serena sheepishly apologized. "Um, what does it do?"

"It shows that my program has been activated."

"What program?"

"One of my hacker programs."

Rei stiffened, "What are you doing, Ami?"

"I'm going to see if I can find some information on the NVerse Corporation. Possible uncover any of their present activities."

Mina walked over and peered over Ami's other shoulder, "Why?"

"To see where the NVerse is searching?" Rei guessed.

"Well, there's that," Ami began typing away several passwords. "But there is also to find possible ways of stopping the NVerse."

----------------------------

_**- Password entry: bluemerc**_

_**- Password accepted**_

_**- Key634 unlocked**_

_**- Running mouse.exe**_

----------------------------

"Man, you're quick, Ames," Mina stated with astonishment. "We haven't even got our coffee yet and you're already prepping."

"I like to be prepared. Besides, I don't know when will be able to connect to the internet."

----------------------------

_**­- Run search: NVerse**_

_**- searching…**_

_**…**_

_**…**_

_**…**_

_**/// NVerse Research and Password request**_

_**-running mouse.exe…**_

_**…**_

_**…**_

_**-password generated**_

_**/// Password accepted**_

_**/// Connecting to networkNV676**_

_**/// Connection established**_

_**/// Opening networkNV676**_

_**/// networkNV676 open**_

-------------------------------

Ami frowned, "That was easy."

"Easy?" Mina inquired. "What the heck did you do?"

"I ran a program I created to enter their computer network. Hopefully, I can pull up some information before anyone realizes I've entered the system." The keyboard clicked quietly beneath her rapid fingers.

------------------------------------

_**/// Run search: assignments**_

_**///searching…**_

_**…**_

_**…**_

_**/// Alert **_

_**/// Tracer in progress**_

-----------------------------------

Suddenly, the cartoon mouse on the screen began to jump up and down while a small bell rang through her computer's speakers. Ami frantically began to type an abort code. "Crap!"

-----------------------------------

_**/// Abort search**_

_**/// Search aborted**_

_**/// activate eraser.exe**_

_**/// activate cookiecrumbs.exe**_

_**/// exit networkNV676**_

_**/// abort networkNV676 connection **_

_**/// NetworkNV676 connection aborted**_

_**/// Run shutdown**_

------------------------------------

Her computer blinked and the screen went black. Ami sighed in relief and leaned onto her elbows. "Well, that's why it was so easy."

"Um, could you please explain?" Mina asked still staring at the dark screen.

"They were waiting for me to enter their network. Once I began an innocent search they tried to set up a tracer on me. They would have found what wireless internet network I was on and eventually locate the owner of that network."

"And find us." Lita finished somberly. She looked up from her batter. "Were they able to trace you?"

Ami shook her head, "There's no way. I wasn't on long enough. Besides, I threw a couple of programs at them to throw off their bloodhounds. One program should have erased my tracks while the other gave a pack of alternative tracks to chase. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to learn anything from that small bit of time inside in their system."

The hope in the girls' eyes died. Mina pushed away from the computer, "Maybe we could call Michelle and the girls. Michelle rubs elbows with some rich folks. Maybe she heard something about the NVerse."

"It's possible," Ami replied with a small frown. "But highly unlikely. She's not a business woman. She's an heiress. I don't know how much she could have heard of a secret corporation."

"Even so, we can't chance calling them," Lita added. "All our cell phones are probably tapped."

Serena turned to Ami with wide eyes, "Can they do that?"

The nurse shrugged. It was easy to put taps on phone lines, but a cell phone was tricky. She had never tried one herself. "I wouldn't chance a call. It was hard enough escaping them. I really don't want to see what they would do to catch me again."

"What about Jed's phone?" Mina walked over the cordless hanging on the wall next to the arch that led into the living room. "He's line should be safe."

Ami shifted uneasily in her seat as she studied the phone. It was very unlikely that they had tapped Jedite's phone line. They couldn't have tapped all her roommates' relatives. "I don't know…"

"We really should call them," Lita pushed. "They've been as worried about you Ami as we have. Amara gave up her race schedule to follow any leads outside the city while Michelle and Trista work through every resource we had."

Ami's thoughts abruptly froze. Her mother still didn't know she was alive. She was probably crying over her photograph as she was sitting her waiting for her morning cup of coffee. She was the worst daughter on the face of the planet at the moment.

"I need to call Mom," Ami spoke up with wide eyes. She rushed across the kitchen towards the cordless. Unfortunately, when she got in reach of the phone, she knew she couldn't take the chance. Her shoulders sank. If she was wrong and there was tap on Jed's phone, than the NVerse soldiers would closed in on the house in a matter of hours. Besides, if his line wasn't tapped, then her mother's surely had a tap on her phone. All they would have to do was start up a tracer on the call and in a matter of minutes they would have her location. Once they found out who was living here, they would know for certain the girls were with her. Then, the NVerse would subsequently begin to calculate the girls' available options and formulate traps.

_'I don't care. I have to call her.'_

"Mina, go grab Jedite's cell phone," Ami commanded.

The blonde glanced at the others before following the girl's instructions. She didn't understand what her roommate wanted to do, but she didn't doubt the girl's smarts. She quickly raced up the stairs, hollering for her cousin. Rei looked at the nurse, "Why do you want his cell phone?"

"If they did take the measures to tap all of our relative's phones, I sincerely doubt they went through the trouble of setting up two taps per relative. I going to make a gamble and say they made a tap on the phone that was easier to set a tap on: the landline."

"Two points for Ami today," Lita cheered as she flipped a pancake. "That's why you're always the strategist."

Ami shrugged bashfully and ran her fingers lightly across her keyboard as a distraction. _'It helps to have a high IQ."_

The girls lifted their eyes when they heard the footsteps scrambling down the stairs. Mina slid across the floor in bright yellow socks. With a triumphant smile, she held up an iris colored cell. "Got it!"

Blue eyes set on the small phone and immediately Ami was washed over with the urge to leap out of the chair. Her chest was squeezing tight, making it difficult to breath. Maybe it was silly for her, but Ami's most cherished relationship was with her mother. On certain levels, even the girls didn't match up. Sure there was a longer history with her mother, but it was more than the weight of years. It was her mother's unconditional love that always made Ami cry. Perhaps, her friends did understand her better. They knew her most recent frustrations, could number how many hours she would dedicate to studying, or figure out what she wanted to eat before she did, but it was the differences between her and her mother that made their relationship beyond special. Her mother always understood when she didn't want to talk. Even if her daughter's silence was killing her, Mrs. Mizuno would never press beyond the line. Her mother would love her even when she couldn't full understand the burden of her daughter's supernatural abilities. Her mother didn't turn and run away like her father had done. No, her mother had stuck it through like her daughter's battles were her own. Her mother was her lifejacket as much as the girls were to her.

Since she had escaped the labs' nightmares, she had been skimming the surface of an emotional meltdown. She had nearly broken apart at Zoisite's apartment and from that moment on she had been clinging to some foolish hope burning in her chest, which things would change for the better. That something would turn around and say this nightmare was done. She was ready to hear she could go back to school and start the next shift at the hospital. Her mother was what made an abnormal life feel normal.

And she hadn't spoken with her mother in what felt like years.

Ami lurched from her seat. She wanted to run across the room, but she forced her feet to walk casual across the polished floor. Her friends probably understood she wanted to run for the phone, but she still didn't want to be the mirror-image of the girls drooling over a hot guy in tight jeans. Sadly, Ami couldn't contain herself when she came close enough to yank the phone out of Mina's hand. She hopped the last step and flipped the cell open in a single heartbeat.

The girls silently watched the woman dial the number. They could see the excitement in her eyes and they became tense as they saw her lift the phone to her ear. Ami stopped breathing as she waited for the tower to connect her call. She heard the first ring and her heart leaped. It was on the third ring she heard her mother's voice.

_"Hello—"_

"Mom!"

_"—this is the Mizuno's residence. I'm sorry, but I can't make it to the phone."_

Ami's heart dropped like a stone when she heard the answering machine. She had been so eager to hear her mother that she completely overlooked the chance that she might not be at home. She didn't even recognize the familiar tone on the machine.

_"Would you please leave your name and number after the tone? I'll try to call you back as soon as I'm able. Thank you."_

A tear slid down the woman's face as she heard the expected "beep" on the line. She swallowed painfully and shakily spoke into the cell phone's receiver. "Mom? Are you there?"

She waited, praying her mom was screening her calls. Maybe she was too upset to deal with people calling her. They were probably calling her everyday to make sure she was alright.

There was a heartbreaking silence on the phone.

She licked her lips and forced her voice to stay steady. "This is Ami, Mom. I just want you to know I'm alright. I can't stay on the line long because your line is probably got a tap. But I promise I'm alright. Please don't worry. I'm with the girls."

She was beginning to cry streams, "I wish I could tell you where I was, but it's too dangerous. I love you, Mom. I-I'll call you again. Soon. Very soon."

She clenched the phone. She needed to get off before a tracer locked on to the number. Her mother wasn't there she reminded. There was no point in keeping the line open. Her mother wasn't going to pick up. Even so, it was hard to end the call. With an unsteady whisper, Ami said goodbye to machine and pressed the red button. The dial tone was worse than the darkness of the cell back in the labs. Her chin trembled.

Serena surged off her barstool and raced over to the young nurse. Lita hastily threw the last pancakes onto a plate and turned. By the time Serena had wrapped around the girl, Ami had begun to sob. Serena began to murmuring soft words as she tucked her oldest friend into the crook of her shoulder. The other girls slowly stood and drifted closer to the pair, wishing to add their strength from afar. Ami accepted Serena's shoulder with overwhelming gratitude. Her heart was so unsteady.

"I-I wanted to hear her v-voice," Ami whispered as she stared at her friend's neck. "I'm sorry. I'm being dumb."

Serena rubbed her hand down the shorter woman's back. "No, you wanted to talk to her. It's okay to be sad."

"She's probably sick with worry," Ami rambled, sniffing loudly. "She always upset if I don't call her every few days. I can't imagine how bad she's taking it now. When she gets that message she'll be so upset."

"She be glad to hear you're alive, Ami." Lita insisted.

"But she won't be able to talk to me," Ami mumbled. "She'll be so confused with my message. It'll probably make her so anxious…"

She went quiet. The tears rolled down her face, but she had no energy to wipe them away. She was lucky enough to stop her chin from wobbling. She was tempted to keep crying, but she told herself she was stronger than she was acting. She could be strong like her friends. Gently, Ami pushed away from Serena. The blonde woman's eyes were filled with concern as she watched her.

"I'm alright," she stated with a strong voice. She smiled through her tears at her anxious friends. "Honest. I'm okay. I'm just… been worn thin with everything."

Rei nodded coming up alongside the short woman and give her a side-way hug. "You've been going since you left the labs. Everyone has a breaking point, Ami."

Ami flipped back her bangs and forced her smile to widened, "I'm fine, Rei. I'm steady."

The coffee pot merrily beeped across the kitchen and they numbly turned their eyes to the dark liquid. After waiting forever for the miracle drink to finish brewing, the girls didn't jump up for the first cup. A somber cloud had settled on their shoulders, whispering the first of many storms to come in their accelerating future. Things weren't going to get much easier for them.

Ami strode across the kitchen and began to pour the coffee into the waiting coffee mugs. She forced her mind to focus on pouring an even level into each mug as a way of distraction. "Let's have breakfast and take a breather."

Grudgingly, the girls walked back to the island in the kitchen and sat on the ring of stools. Serena peeked out from beneath her bangs and studied her quiet friend. Out of all the girls, Ami was the friendship that had the most history with Serena. Ami had been her first best friend. Sure, the others had followed close behind her brainy buddy, but Ami had been the foundation of her and the girls' circle. Serena had first met her in middle school and had immediately felt a force drawing her to the lonely classmate. Ami had rarely spoken with anyone outside of class and her expression was always drawn away from the world.

Serena had always wondered what could keep a girl from getting involved with her surroundings. At first, Serena had pegged Ami like many other students had: a bookworm, nerd. Some weeks into school, however, when the rumors circling through the network of students began to buzz too loud, Serena realized the girl was merely shy. With a firm determination, Serena had decided Ami needed help in the socializing department and being the bubbling personality she was, Serena was more than happy to assist. Her sweet concern for the sad classmate had immediately shifted into a close friendship, especially after certain secrets were revealed between them.

All the girls had a similar beginning, but it was something different with Ami. The young woman had a history and depth of heartache the others had never experienced. Even Serena didn't fully understand Ami. There was a frailty about her that was rarely seen in her eyes. Since Serena had met Ami, it had been in her eyes, a shadow of inner turmoil. As their friendship had progress, along with the girls', the shadow had faded. It was when Greg had started dating her that a real, free-living, I-don't-care-smile had finally appeared on the shy woman's face. Once Greg had deserted her, however, the shadow had return larger than ever and Ami had receded. She had put up new walls and from there on, things were never quite the same with her. Sure, she was still happy and smiled, but Serena could tell that her friend wasn't content. There was still a chip on her shoulder that kept her from having it all. The stronger any of them press, the further her defenses went up.

Serena could see that same shadow in Ami's eyes as she handed her the steaming cup of coffee. Sure, it had been Hell on Earth for Ami with all that had happened, but the shadow in her eyes was the same one she had been carrying for years. _'What else is bothering you, Ami?'_

The blue-haired woman shifted her eyes away from her friend. Serena could see things in her eyes as well as Rei could see things in her dreams. At the moment, she didn't have the energy to deal with the look of concern Serena was giving her.

Footsteps lumbering down the stairs immediately picked the girls' heads upwards. They had yet to be welcomed by their host presence since he had disappeared into the shower. She could tell by the girls intense stares on the entry way, that they were eager to see Mina's cousin. After all, if he had any relation to the blonde's supermodel genes, than he was definitely worth a look. Ami hid her smile behind her coffee cup as they waited for his appearance.

The man didn't fail to impress. As he sauntered around the corner, Jedite appeared to have walked off camera after shooting the lead role of a romance movie. His hair was nicely gelled with the dashing look of bangs bushed over his brow. He was wearing a nice blue-gray polo and ripped jeans. Definitely, playboy material.

"Hello, ladies," he greeted in his deep baritone voice. "Welcome to my humble

home."

Ami knew instantly what was about to happen next. She giggled into her coffee cup as Rei gave a pronounce snort. Jedite's eyes darted to the priestess who was sampling her coffee and his brow narrowed marginally. His expression wasn't of frustration, but one of notably challenge. Mina was right. The guy was a player.

Ami shrugged off the thought. She shouldn't be so quick to judge. After all, he had simply looked over towards Rei. He didn't throw down his glove and demand duel.

Jedite hastily recovered by stepping towards the nearest girl and holding out his hand. Luck would have it, that the special girl was Lita. Her smile was tilted slightly, a sign that she liked what she saw, but wasn't sure if she was ready to buy the product.

"As you've guessed, I'm Jedite." Two cute dimples appeared in his cheeks. Mina rolled her eyes behind her cousin's back, earning a small choked laugh by Serena. "What is your name, fair lady?"

Rei intently watched her brunette friend. Lita wasn't as hard core as Rei when it came to man-hating, but the brunette always had an interesting flare when it came to dealing with male advances. Lita wasn't one to disappoint. She spotted Rei watching her and her jade eyes twinkled. With an overly sweet smile, Lita held up a plate of pancakes under the man's nose as he tried to kiss the back of her hand. Normally, she would have been swayed by a man with such looks, but she surprisingly found no chemical attraction to the guy. Jedite was startled to see the chocolate chip pancakes and was unable to respond. Lita batted her eyelashes and sweetly declared, "Want some?"

Mina laughed and drew an invisible line in the air. Jedite gave the brunette an awkward smile and graciously took the short stack of pancakes. "Thanks."

"Give it up, cus," Mina declared loudly, strutting over to the counter and giving him a meaningful glare. "These aren't the type of girls that make up your ridiculous fan club."

Rei lifted an eyebrow, "Fan club?"

Mina tossed back her hair, "Neighborhood girls swarm him. They follow him everywhere in hopes of striking a memorable conversation."

"Can't help it," he ran his fingers calmly through his bangs in an overly dramatic pose. "Who could resist this?"

Rei snorted again. "I know of five girls."

Serena giggled, "Aw, leave him alone, Rei. He's not half-bad looking."

"Like an ugly mutt," the priestess daunted over her mug. She calmly took a sip, ignoring the surprised look the man was giving her.

Ami on the other hand was surprise. Rei was a man-hater for sure, but when it came to looks, she never insulted a guy to his face unless the guy wouldn't take no for an answer. He might not realize it, but Jedite had received a high compliment from Rei. She was baiting him. Maybe it was a warped approach, but Rei was actually trying for the guy's attention, something Ami had yet to see.

"Thank you, my blonde goddess." Jedite grinned, quickly heading for Serena's side. He leaned onto the counter casually as he stared down into the woman's eyes. "What's your name, lovely?"

"Serena." She answered kindly, her cheeks turning pink.

If he hadn't been her cousin, Mina would have been drooling over Jedite just as much as Serena was at the moment. Hastily, Mina crossed the room and yanked the back of his shirt. He stumbled backwards and glared at his cousin. "I'm busy."

"We can see that," Mina commented dryly.

Seeing her glare, he quickly turned on his evil stare and crossed his arms. "Okay, you don't want to do introductions. How about we skip ahead? Start explaining about is what going on."

Mina blinked innocently, "Going on? What do you mean, Jeddy?"

He grimaced, "Don't call me that."

Rei smirked at Ami, "Jeddy?"

"I think I like it," Lita admitted with a giggle.

"Mina," Jed voice steadily rose over the girls' laughter. His eyes flashed. "There is something big going on here. I want to know what."

The blonde fidgeted. Normally, her cousin wasn't so quick to rile up even at such a crazy hour. Mina nervously swallowed, "Why would you think something was up?"

Jedite silenced her awkward giggle with a stony glare, "Because your roommate that has been missing for over a month is standing in my kitchen."

Her eyes widened, "How do you know about Ami being missing?"

Lita stiffened in her seat, "Has the local news been informed about Ami's disappearance? This town is several hours away. Surely, it isn't that big of a news flash."

"If they have, then Ami definitely can't go outside." Rei added. "They'll have been running her picture across the news. Someone will see her and inform the police department."

Ami lurched from her stool, "We should leave before someone realizes I am—"

"Calm down," Jedite's sighed as he raised her hands to quiet the frightened girls. "I know because my mom called and told me about it. When you showed at the door, I didn't realize it at first, but when I saw Ami I recognized her from one of Mina's photos."

The girls visibly relaxed and sat back on their seats. Serena groaned loudly, "Good. I would have hated to leave after just getting here."

"That's for sure," Rei agreed sourly, momentarily glancing towards the house's male occupant. Her eyes narrowed angrily when he looked towards her.

He shock off her icy look and turned back to his shocked cousin. With his hands planted on his hips, he shoved into her personal space. "Now that's explain, mind telling me why you're here with your lost roommate, hiding from the cops?"

Mina wasn't prepared for this loop. She had been fully prepared to explain that she and the girls were foolishly playing hooky from school and have an impromptu road trip. Yea, it had been a watery story, but she had planned to dress it up to a level that made Denzel Washingotn to be a wishy-washy actor in comparison. Looking into her cousin's angry eyes, however, she was at a complete loss at what to say next. Her mouth opened and closed as she vainly sought for words.

"Their helping me runaway," Ami jumped in.

Mina stiffened and whirled her eyes to her roommate along with her cousin's. Jedite frowned, "What?"

The other watched her warily, uncertain at what was happening. Ami keep her voice steady as she locked her eyes on the young man. "I was kidnapped. I escaped, but my kidnappers are still chasing me down. So we're trying to elude them."

His scowl gradually lessened, "You were kidnapped?"

He glanced around the room at the other girl's somber faces. Ami scrambled to meet his next question. "Why don't you go to the police? Surely, they could help stop them. Or at least protect you."

"We can't trust the police," Serena blurted. Ami inwardly groaned when Serena smiled with excitement for thinking up an excuse so fast. The blonde pushed out her chest and moaned dramatically. "We believe the captors are involved with the police. It's a huge conspiracy out to get Ami."

Lita shoved her face into her palm, completely embarrassed. _'No one would possible believe that story.'_

"That's outrageous," Jedite exclaimed lowly. "We should get a hold of the state authorities and get those officers arrested.

Lita jerked her face back up, _'Did he just?...'_

Rei and Ami looked at each other.

At the sight of their responses, Jed smiled slyly. He leaned against the counter and gave Serena a pointed look.

"No, I don't believe your story," He confessed with a laugh. "I mean it's not even slightly believable."

"Hey!" Serena cried, "It could happen!"

"Serena!"

"Now, I definitely don't believe you." Jed haughtily declared while strutting over to the coffee pot. He casually poured himself a cup. "This is truly an interesting situation."

Mina shifted nervously, "Jed…"

"You can stay here." He abruptly stated, his voice calm.

Ami stiffened, "What?"

He drank down a large swallow and leaned his back against the nearby wall. He quietly studied the women cluttering his small kitchen. "I don't understand what's going on, but I know its something important to keep you from telling me, Mina."

Mina's eyes dropped to the floor. Her heart ached when she heard the hurt in his voice. It was true. She rarely kept things from him. They would play tricks on each other from time to time, but they had been very close throughout their youth. She couldn't remember the last time she had lied to him.

"I don't care what the reason is, but tell me one thing, Mina. Is this thing with Ami's disappearance a prank?"

She lifted her blue eyes and firmly met his glare. It was an intrusive question, but she could understand his perspective. She would be doubtful if he had showed up with someone who had been reported missing for over a month.

"I promise you, Jed," Mina replied. "This isn't a scam. Ami was missing for the last month and she was kidnapped. Yes, the kidnappers are chasing us and we don't want to go to the cops. Beyond that—"

"You don't have to tell me," he stated, emotionless. "By my perspective, you girls were just ditching school for a spur of the moment road trip."

Her eyes widened, "How did—"

The cordless phone interrupted her. The young man sighed and swiped the phone off the wall. Without slowing down, he disappeared into the hall. "Hello."

The girls watched him leave, totally shocked.

"That went well," Serena mumbled, looking towards Mina. "But I don't understand by what he meant by all that."

"Neither do I," Rei growled. "I don't like him."

"Of course, you would." Lita smiled. Rei glared at the brunette.

"I'll talk to him later," Mina declared after several minutes. "For now, let's eat."

"Yea!" Serena squealed happily, racing for the counter. "Pancakes!"

Ami shook her head.

Outside in the hall, Jed was leaning against the banister, keeping a watchful eye on the doorway leading into the kitchen. He couldn't see the girls from his position in the hall, but he could tell they were too busy to hear his conversation.

"Yes, Mom, I said Mina came to visit," he warmly spoke into the cordless phone. He listened with half an ear. His brain was spinning fast from the conversation he had in kitchen. Something his mother said over the line made his eyes light up. "You don't say?"

A twisted smile pulled up his face. "No, I didn't hear anything about her roommate. You say she disappeared over a month ago? Wow, that's horrible."

He pushed a heavy tone into voice, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He listened to her apology, but it didn't register in his brain. He wasn't concerned with his mother. "No, I understand. Mina didn't want people calling her and giving her pity calls. It's okay that you didn't tell me. Yes, I'll try and cheer her up as best as I can while she's here."

The conversation was soon interrupted by a beeping noise on the phone line.

"Sorry, Mom. I got another call. How about I call you back later?"

There was a small lapse followed by his warm farewell. The blonde man merrily pressed a button on the phone and pressed the receiver to his ear. His smile widened when he recognized the voice on the other end.

"Yes, I called you a few minutes ago," he replied with a hush voice. His blue eyes narrowed on the doorway. "Yes, I did say I found her."

His thumb caressed the edge of the plastic phone. "You'll never believe where she is right now."

He laughed before haughtily declaring, "She's at my house."

* * *

_**A/N: Well, it has been confirmed. This story is not going to be short as I had originally planned. But I think you all know this already.This story is really taking off and I thank you all for the awesome reviews. I honestly, didn't plan for this story to turn out this way. But I'm liking it the more I type. I have the entire story laid out in my head so hopefully things will be updated quickly. **_

_**PS---Zoi will be reappearing very shortly. This is a Zoi/Ami fic, after all. **_


	11. Stepping on a Grave

_**A/N: Woah. I got another one out? Dang, I'm on a roll.**  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 11: Stepping on a Grave_

* * *

..

After their heavy breakfast, the girls had decided to take a long nap. No one had gotten more than three hours of sleep on the drive (except Mina who got none at all) and the coffee hadn't offered much support for their falling eyelids. Jedite had situated them into the living room, bringing all the extra pillows he had. While they slumbered, he went to run a few errands, including doing to the market to pick up some food to fill his empty kitchen. It had reached early afternoon by the time Ami had woken from her nap. When she found the other girls completely knocked out, she decided she had another hour before she gained back her company. Since they had planned to discuss their next move after their nap, Ami decided she should prepare for their discussion. After all, she would be the one expected to have a plan. She was the strategist.

Ami dug through her bag as quietly as possible across the opposite end of the living room. Her eyes were ever watchful of the girls' movement, fearful that she might actually wake them from their comatose state. She had no doubt that it would take a grenade to wake any one of them, but she didn't want to chance it. She quickly pulled the small leather journal from her duffle. She stared nervously down at the book. _'Could there more to this?'_

She immediately thought of her blonde knight. She remembered his eyes reflecting in the darkness and the uneasiness she had felt in his presence. Her heart was beating rapidly. Opening the cover, Ami began to read the masculine scrawling across the pages.

* * *

_**May 28, 2004**_

_**It has taken me too long to find them. If I should fail I must leave a record to be discovered later. It is the only way that progress can ever be pursued. Thus, I write this for the next Heavenly King to find and hope he can begin where I left off. **_

* * *

"Heavenly King?" she whispered. "It's that title again. The one written on that box of stones. What is a Heavenly King?"

* * *

_**For this journal to prove useful, I must first explain the entirety of the Senshi. Specifically, I will explain the functions of the Senshi and their connection to the untamable threads of fate. **_

_**The Senshi is a ring of female soldiers who are responsibility for the protection of the Silver Millennium's Moon Princess. The Silver Millennium is a peaceful kingdom in the Heavens and one of the super powers of the galaxies. The explanation for their supreme status is due to the Princess's possession of the Silver Crystal, a power whose origins has been forgotten. Due to the kingdom's peaceful nature and abnormal strength, the Princess is under constant attacks of treachery, attempted assassinations, and outside war. The Senshi are not only responsible for the protection of the Princess and the kingdom, but most importantly the protection of the Silver Crystal. For it is believed that the Silver Crystal is the only true defense against the evil forces of the universe. If the Silver Crystal was lost, stolen, or, god forbid, destroyed the universe would plunge into a Hell I am unable to contemplate. **_

_**The Senshi, or "Soldiers," are eight women of the eight heavenly houses. It is said that each woman is chosen at birth by the hand of destiny, which is a statement most elusive to my understanding. I cannot figure out what it is that reveals their destiny as bodyguards to the kingdom except for they are marked like the heavens just as the Princess is marked. **_

* * *

_'Marked by the heavens…'_ Her fingers unconsciously lifted to her forehead, feeling for the invisible indentions. _'The symbol had been for the planet Mercury.'_

She hastily flipped several pages ahead.

* * *

_**In the story I uncovered, the Senshi had been divided into two teams. The elder team was the four most powerful women of the eight soldiers. This team of women, called the Outers, was chosen to be the outer defense or wall of protection for the Moon Princess. Each was designated with specific functions to uphold the defenses. They were individually known as the Destroyer, the Oracle, and the Gate Keepers.**_

* * *

_'W-What?'_ Ami floundered. _'What is this?'_

She reread the paragraph, "He never said anything about this."

* * *

_**The second team was compiled of younger soldiers who were called the Circle. These four women are close bodyguards of the Moon Princess and the last wall of defense. Like the Outers, the Circle was comprised of four other women that each had a their own special function. They were the Arrow, the Sword, the Staff, and the Shield. **_

* * *

_'This was suppose to help me? I'm just more confused!' _ She reread the writing several times, but found nothing helpful. She flipped forward, hoping more would be found further into the journal. To her shock, she discovered several pages had been ripped out. She ran her finger across the fringed edges.

'_Why did he take these pages out?' _she wondered, glancing towards the last page before the tears began. Her heart began to pound in her ears as she read what she found.

* * *

_**The story behind the Senshi is that the Moon Princess was meant to marry the Prince of Earth. The darkness took that time of celebration to attack the kingdom. From what little I have found, it appears that all the Senshi were killed and the kingdom did fall. Fortunately, the Silver Crystal was salvaged through the hysteria by Queen Serenity, the previous Moon Princess and through the crystal's powers sealed the darkness away along with the souls of the Moon Princess and the Senshi. It was Queen Serenity's hope that one day the Moon Princess would be reborn and the women would have a second chance at life. Unfortunately, in giving the women a second lifetime, she was also forced to give the NegaVerse a second lifetime as well.**_

_**The problem with all this is that the evil power that had first challenged the Silver Millennium has reawakened. They have regained their memories of the past and have started a search for the Moon Princess in hope of discovering the Silver Crystal before she does. They are growing close and I'm running out of time. I must protect her.**_

* * *

Ami swallowed nervously, "This can't be. I mean its just some fairy tale."

Her heart pounded louder in her ears, _'Then why…'_

_'Why do I believe it is true?...'_

She glanced down at the cover, wanting to read more, but afraid to find the frightening truth. Was she willing to risk the chance of believing in something she couldn't yet prove? Carefully, she pulled the journal back open and returned to the tattered pages. She found herself staring at the last page. Her eyes widened at the single sentence scribbled across the top.

* * *

_**I shall find you, my beloved.**_

* * *

She immediately shut the book and took deep uneven breaths. Her face was on fire and her blood was pounding louder. _'Oh my god…'_

She clenched the edges. _'Why did you give this to me? What are you trying to tell me, Zoisite?'_

She felt like she was in a lonely boat rocking in the middle of the ocean. Her heart felt vulnerable and exposed. She couldn't understand what was happening. It was too unreal. _'How do I test this? How do I find the truth?'_

She studied her quiet surroundings with barely contained frustration. As a science geek, she was a girl who lived by trial and error, control groups, and contained variables. Sitting in someone else's living room with only the clothes on her back was definitely outside her comfort zone. She was especially uncomfortable with the random thoughts flashes through her brain about the book in her lap. She couldn't test her ideas and that unnerved her.

_'What if I am that princess?'_

_'What if that marriage involved my ancestor?'_

_'Could Zoisite also be connected to this like I am?'_

_'Could the NVerse actually be the darkness spoken of?'_

_'Is that why he is trying to protect me?'_

_'Am I some hope for the world?'_

She angrily shoved the book off of her lap onto the floor. She gritted her teeth together. This was against everything logical. This journal, her kidnapping, these stories, all of it was ridiculous. She couldn't accept any of it.

She was not a religious girl. She didn't pray at shrines or offer up prayers like Rei. She believed in proof and theory. If she didn't understand something, then she went out and worked things out till she did. That was why her grades were beyond the teacher's scale and why she had skipped several levels in school. She didn't hold herself back.

She was driven by the fear of confusion. She had to understand. She couldn't act unless she accounted for all the factors. That's why dating was so hard for her. She always knew dating was a greater risk of heartache. There was too much of chance that she would meet Mr. Wrong instead of Mr. Right. Plus, romance wasn't something you could put into a test tube. It was indescribable and awkward for her scientific mind to wrap around.

Ami raked her fingers through her messy hair and inwardly grumbled. _'Does it matter if it's true or not? If this story is true, then I have to face this dark evil. If the story is a big joke, then I still have to deal with these NVerse people. Either way, there's going to be a fight or some kind of confrontation. Life won't get back to normal unless I step up and take these guys on.'_

She cradled her chin in her palm, _'But how do we do that? Do we simple wait for them to come to us and have a brawl? Or do we head over to their turf and pull the rug out from under them?_

_'Things would go better if we understood what we were dealing with. If we wait for them to come, we might sorely underestimate them and get shoved into a corner.'_

_'Okay, so it would be better to attack first, but what does that mean? Do we go in and start tearing down the entire building, brick by brick? Do we kill everyone there and don't ask questions? _

_'No, we can't kill these people. Never in all the years of using our gifts for the goodness of others has a single person been killed. I don't think any of us are ready to start something to that degree. We're just a bunch of young women going for our college degrees. This wasn't what we had planned when we teamed up to stop serial killers and save people from natural disasters.'_

* * *

_It was about midnight when Ami exited the movie theater with Serena at her elbow. "I really think the producers of that film need to reconsider their careers."_

_"I know!" Serena gasped between bouts of laughter. "The least they could do is warn people about watching the film. For heaven's sake, you could see that the sunset in the background was some wall they painted!"_

_"Yes, I have to admit it was a grade school level production," Ami pulled opened her car door and fell into her seat. Together they drove off and laughed themselves hoarse over every fault in the movie. It was one of their funniest times together. They didn't even notice that the streets were empty as they stopped at a red light. They were busy debating about getting a late bite to eat. Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of squealing tires and metal ripping. Their startled faces jerked up to see a lone vehicle had barreled into one the nearby telephone polls. _

_"Oh my, gosh!" Ami yelled while shoving her door open. She barreled across the empty intersection to the car pinned beneath the knocked over pole. Ami could hear her friend following. The new medical student hastily checked the occupants through the shattered glass. There was a single, unconscious man inside, and he was bleeding from an enormous gash across his temple. Luckily, it was the right-front side of his car that had dug into the telephone pole. Otherwise, his legs might have gotten crushed instead of pinned. At least, the man had been smart enough to buckle his seatbelt. _

_"What happened?" Serena cried behind her friend. "He seemed to come out of no where."_

_"I don't know," Ami admitted as she tried to pull the door handle. It wouldn't budge. Looking down, she saw a huge dent along the door that was jammed into the frame. "He might have fallen asleep at the wheel or perhaps be drunk."_

_She pressed her heel into the side of the car and yanked with all her strength. She groaned loudly when the metal just dug deeper into her skin. "It won't open."_

_Serena pulled her cell phone from her back pocket, "I'll call 9-1-1."_

_Sparks overhead abruptly stole their attention. Serena and Ami stared wide eyes as the telephone wires crackled and glowed. In seconds, some how a small flame had gained life along the broken wires and was skimming the roof of the car. There wasn't any kindle to spread to, but the fire seemed determined to swallow up the vehicle. _

_"Hurry up and get the fire department, Serena—"_

_Abrupt sparks caused the wires to dance precariously along the hood of the sedan. There was an open crack in the red metal, revealing the endangered inners. Ami could only watch helplessly as the wire slid down into the depths. Seconds later, a light show began to start inside the engine. Ami frantically drew back from the car, dragging her friend along with her, as the car began to make strange popping noises. _

_Ami didn't stop to think. She knew what needed to be done without giving it a second consideration. She simply looked over to the hydrant and forced the water pressure to blow off its top. _

* * *

Revealing her secret to Serena had been a small price to pay in exchange for the man's life. Even if she had taken more time to consider her options, she probably still wouldn't have changed any thing. On that night, the plain truth had been that she had been tired of hiding from her only friend.

They had been standing in the middle of an empty intersection, shouting into a phone for help, while a man sat burning alive in his own car. She had remembered so many times when her gift had screwed things up in her life. It strange how many thoughts can pass in your mind in a short minute. She had seen flashes of her dead cat, her father leaving, her friends taken away, her collection of snow globes shattered, all the hardships had poured into her head. Each of those flashed had reminded her why she was so closed off from the world. She didn't want to hurt anyone ever again.

The man's presence location, however, wasn't a result of her gift. It was the result of an outward force. As the flames licked the glossy paint, a single sentence had broken through the heartache and blared in her skull like a prayer in a battlefield: _"You can help."_

It was a startling revelation, especially after years of walking on eggshells. To actually dream that her curse was more than destructive was overwhelming. She had automatically stepped forward and took a chance she had promised never to take again. She didn't want to think about herself. She wanted to think about others. She wanted to believe she was a curse on the world. The flames had died in minutes, but her world had been changed forever.

Rei abruptly jolted in her sleeping bag, startling the young nurse's musings. Blue eyes watched carefully as the priestess snapped awake and glanced around the room. She breathed heavily before taking a small sigh and leaning back on her elbows.

"Bad dream?" Ami questioned softly, careful of waking the others. Rei was startled to see the other woman awake. Her dull eyes dropped as she gave a small nod. Ami's heart squeezed. "You want some tea?"

Rei stared at the floor before she gave a slight nod. Quietly, she pulled out of her sleeping bag and trudged in the direction of the bathroom. Ami sighed as she rose to her feet and went to the kitchen to find some tea. It was a custom between the nurse and the priestess to share a pot of tea after one of Rei's regular nightmares. The tradition had begun after one particular disturbing dream during Ami's nursing entrance exams. On that first night, Rei had woken up shaking and stumbled down to kitchen to find Ami doing an all-nighter while nursing a steaming pot of tea. Ami had sat through Rei's shaky ramblings for two hours before she begun to realize the extent of Rei's true burden. After that, Ami had forced the priestess to always wake her if she should ever have a nightmare. It took some threatening, but eventually the night came when Ami was awakened by a hand gently shaking her shoulder. She had blinked sleepily and stared up at her friend's drawn expression.

Ami was had a pair of cups waiting by the time Rei entered the kitchen. The priestess dropped heavily onto the stool and wiped a hand across her face. Ami gingerly pushed the steaming cup towards the other woman, which the priestess gladly took.

"Thanks," Rei mumbled.

Ami nodded, taking her own cup. She sampled the herbal tea and studied the worn lines etched on her friends' face. Ami licked her lips. "What was the dream?"

Rei looked away. Her blurry eyes stared at some invisible point on the wall.

"It was so weird," she whispered hoarsely. "It's the same dream I have had since you were kidnapped."

Ami's eyebrows pinched together. Rei's nightmares were not simple dreams. They were a ripple stretching out from the core of her gift that sought her out in the unguarded recesses of her mind. Rei had a knack for ESP, but her dreams were flat out prophecies. She had been known to have them whenever something particular dangerous was about to happen. The last one had been when a serial rapist had been on the loose. Rei had woken up screaming till her lungs were empty. Once the man was captured, however, the nightmares of him attacking the girls had stopped. Her nightmares only had a shelf life till the danger had been stopped or the dream had been completed in reality. At least, the later was believed to be true. They had yet to see a nightmare fulfilled.

Ami leaned forward, "I don't understand."

"I keep waking up to darkness," Rei began, her voice low and raw. "I stretched my hands out for help, but feel nothing. Then, a purplish glow hits the horizon and the city is stretched out in front of me. The purple gradually swells and then I feel the wind pulling at me. There's a row of figures against the light, but…"

Her voice fades. Rei swallowed another gulp of tea. Ami is shocked to see her friend's hand shaking so badly as she placed her cup back down.

"I hear laughter, but it's so faint and far away. I don't know what to do. I feel so alone."

Ami stared down at her tea, remembering her time back at the labs. She clenches her cup.

"Then, it grows cold and my heart almost stops. I can feel eyes on me and I turn. Then, the world fell back into darkness. I hear you screaming." She swallows and looks at the gray countertops. "I see blood and then, you stop screaming."

Ami couldn't lift her eyes to look at the other woman. She knew what it meant. Her life was hanging in the balance. Something dangerous was drawing towards them with the intent of taking her life.

Strangely, Ami didn't feel afraid. More than anything she felt guilty. She felt guilty for her friends. The each held enough weight on their shoulders individually. Rei's nightmare would anchor her friends closer to her and put them all directly into this oncoming danger's path. There would be no way to push her friends to safety after they heard about Rei's nightmare.

Rei watched the quiet nurse, already guessing what was going through the small woman's mind. "Ami."

The blue-haired nurse didn't look up. Instead, she took another sip of her tea.

"Ami," the priestess repeated softy. "We need to get far away from here."

The other woman shook her head, "No,_ I_ need to get away from here."

Rei frantically grabbed her hand across the small island counter. Ami was tempted to pull away, but Rei grip was insistent. The nurse knew what was coming.

"You can't," Rei hissed sharply. "We won't let you."

"This is my fight. They want me, not you or the others"

"In the dream, the feeling of loneliness wasn't from me. It's from you. If you go on your own—"

Ami hastily interrupted her, "I will admit I am the weakest out of the five of us. Serena might be a klutz, but even her gift is far stronger than mine."

Her tone became stony like it always did when she was in the middle of a hard mission. "But I am not a helpless child, for goodness sake."

Rei's grip slowly withdrew, "Ami."

The nurse calmly looked up at the other woman, "I do not wish my fate to ever again be a burden for others."

Rei's eyes fell. Ami had said those exact words after Greg had cheated on her.

Quietly, Ami sipped her tea. Rei gradually lifted her face back up.

"You know we won't let you do this alone," the priestess whispered.

Ami's cup hung in mid air as she contemplated her words. After a few moments, she replied softly, "I know."

Maybe it hadn't been a direct promise, but Rei was content to take her friend's admission as a promise. Perhaps later, she would get Ami to properly promise not to leave their protection. For now, a subject change was in order.

"Have you thought of anyway of stopping those people?" she asked.

Ami audibly groaned her frustration, "No."

Rei scowled. It was unlike the young nurse to be without a plan of strategy. Ami's dropped as she went over her earlier thoughts. "There are just too many unknown factors. If I knew their location or at least exactly who we were dealing with we could formulate a plan of attack."

"Attack?" Rei questioned. "You want to attack them?"

"Well, we can't keep running like this, and I very much doubt they'll stop anytime soon in their search for me."

"True."

"I had hoped to attack them in their territory, but I don't know how without their location."

Rei perked up, "How about I do a reading?"

Ami blinked, "But I don't think there's a shrine around here."

The dark haired priestess shrugged before downing the rest of her tea and pushing away from the counter. After a short search, the beautiful pulled out an iron pot and a small notepad. She tossed her items onto the counter and then, scanned the ceiling. Her eyes stopped on the smoke detector. Ami's eyebrows rose in mock laughter as she watched the woman hop on her stool and unscrew the white disc. Rei casually tossed the batteries aside. Hoping back down, she began to rip out pages from the notepad and crumple them into small balls. She slowly began to prepare her kindle.

Finishing her tea, Ami cleared the worksite. She dropped the cups into the dishwasher before taking a spot next to the priestess. Once a proper pile had been thrown into the pot, Rei pushed the notepad aside and pulled the trashcan closer. She yanked out the top layer of discarded paper, which happened to be a handful of junk mail. One o the letters dropped face up into the pot and Ami's blue eyes darted towards the black printed address.

_**Nephrite Travis **_

_**4055 Old Forest Rd—**_

Another letter quickly fell over the name before she could finish reading. The next one fell face down and Ami quietly looked up. Rei was digging around in her pockets, searching for a lighter. The priestess had over a dozen lighters and always kept one on her person throughout the day, even when she slept. It was understandable. Rei's gift was fairly elusive in comparison to the rest of the girls' gifts. Water, electricity, etc were in excess, but a flame didn't make an appearance in the city except when firefighters were involved. For any one of them, it was unnerving to be out of reach of their gifts. Thus, the lighter was a form of comfort for the priestess.

Rei finally found her lighter shoved in her back jean pocket. She flipped open her favorite Zippo, the purple one with a raven, and hunched over the pot. Sparking a fire, the priestess cupped her hand over her tiny blue flame. The fire curled instantly into her palm and tickled the underside of her pale skin like a puppy. Ami watched with mild curiosity as the fire leapt from her fingertips into the waiting pile. The fire hungrily swallowed the kindle and flared upon the priestess silent command. The two women leaned closer as the fire began to dance rhythmically before their eyes. Rei smiled softly as the flame swelled.

Rei began to chant softly as her fingers folded and intertwined into several complex patterns. Ami recognized a few of the words she spoke, but she didn't understand the word's purpose in her friend's chant. She guessed it to be a form of concentrating on the reading. A gentle, smoke curled from the pot and tickled at their nostrils. Ami held back a cough, afraid to disturb the priestess. Rei didn't seem the least bit distracted by the smell. She was use to the hint of smoke on her clothes.

She passed her fingertips through the white peak of the flames. The warmth kissed her lovingly and danced faster. Shadows began to appear in the heart.

Ami saw the woman's eyes narrow. "What do you see?"

Rei shook her head, eyes never leaving the fire. "I'm not sure. I've never seen anything…"

Ami was concerned when she heard her voice trail off. "Describe what you see."

Rei exhaled carefully so as not to extinguish the image. "There are lines."

"Lines?"

She nodded. "Just lines. There's nothing else."

"Nothing?"

"I don't understand," Rei sighed. "It's just a bunch of lines. They all look the same."

"How so?" Ami suddenly wished she could see what her friend saw. "Describe it to me."

"They are a handful of them and they are lined up parallel to each other. But that's it." Rei returned to chanting. Her brow pinched in frustration as the image didn't waver. There had to more to see. Surely, there was more.

The sound of a car door closing caused the girls to jump in their seats. Footsteps hit the porch steps. Ami whirled, "Jed's back from town."

Rei hastily swiped her hand over the pot and the flame instantly dosed out of existence. Jed was already pushing his key into the door by the time Ami had lurched across the room and filled a cup with water. She hastily threw the water on the smoldering kindle as the blonde figure stepped into the kitchen, carrying several plastic bags. Ami and Rei innocently smiled as the man warmly greeted them, "Hiya, girls. Have a good nap?"

"The best," Ami replied with ease. "Thanks again for letting us stay her, Jedite."

"Oh, don't mention it." He stated with his perfect smile as he dropped the bags onto the nearest stretch of counter. "It is a pleasure to have such beautiful women share my living area."

Rei rolled her eyes and casually dumped the pot's contents into the sink. Before Jed could sneak a glance into the sink to see what they had been up to, Rei had turned on the garbage disposal and removed the evidence. His nose crinkled when he inhaled the drifting stench. "Did you burn something?"

When Rei didn't answer, Ami quickly stepped in. "Sorry, I'm not much of a cook. We usually let Lita do all the cooking, but she's still sleeping."

Jed began to put away the groceries, "Did you get enough to eat or would you like me to make you something?"

Rei turned around with an odd look on her face, "You can cook?"

He shrugged and smiled at her through his blonde bangs. He turned on his best Prince Charming look. "It's attractive to the ladies to know how to cook."

Ami bit down on her lower lip as she saw Rei turned up her nose. With a smug air, the priestess pointedly replied, "Not to all women."

The comment didn't appear to deter the suave player. Instead, he confidently strode over to the priestess and grinned. Rei glared up at him as he leaned his arm on the bit of counter behind her. Ami watched the encounter with growing amusement. It was always fun to watch Rei deal with men. She always did things with flare.

"Can I help you?" she said icily.

"So what does do it for those women?"

Ami grinned as she saw the tale-tell spark light in the other woman's eyes. Rei daringly leaned closer towards the man, allowing the air to thicken between them. A whimsical smile on the priestess's face caused the nurse to freeze in shock. Rei cocked her head to the side and batted her long eyelashes. Jed shifted uneasily, taken aback by the woman's sudden change in demeanor. He had no doubt that she was playing with him, but it was difficult to guess what exactly she was up to when he was distracted by how elegant her eyelashes kissed her high cheekbones. He unconsciously swallowed as she looked up through those thick black eyelashes.

"Oh I don't know," she whispered huskily, a devilishly twinkle finding its way into her big brown eyes. "If it was me, all it would take is for you to grow a brain."

He blinked rapidly and Ami shamefully laughed out loud at his startled expression. Seeing that she had momentarily silenced the haughty man, Rei decided to make her exit and coolly spun on her heel. Stalking out of the kitchen, she tossed her wild mane of dark hair over her shoulder. Jed watched her go, but surprisingly, he smiled as she disappeared. Ami wasn't surprise to see his reaction. Most playboys found Rei's attitude as an exciting challenge.

Jed gave a small whistle as he turned his sight on the remaining occupant in the kitchen. "She appears to be quite the man hater."

"Don't even think it," Ami replied evenly.

The blonde man's quirked an eyebrow, "Think what?"

Ami nervously shifted. She normally wasn't so blunt, especially with guys. She found herself under careful scrutiny and now she wish she could disappear. Why had she said anything at all?

Whatever the answer, she still needed to reply to his curious stare, "That you're the one take can tame her."

"Tame?" He chuckled. He leaned back against the counter and stared at the empty entryway that the priestess had left through. "My dear lady, a man cannot tame such a firecracker. Nor would I want to."

Now that was an answer Ami had definitely not heard from Rei's regular encounters. "She's an extraordinary woman. Do not write her off so easily."

His blue eyes snapped back to the nurse, obviously startled by the suggestion that he found the priestess undesirable.

"I have no doubt that under that hard armor lays that extraordinary woman you know," he stated rather firmly. "I'm just saying I would never wish to dowse such a spitfire."

Ami wasn't convinced and she hated the idea that a man would over look Rei because of her attitude. Rei was a little rough around the edges, but she was one of her closest friends. Rei was more than attitude. She was confident and loyal. She loved to take care of the ravens that hung around her family's shrine and she enjoyed walks in the park. She was a loving granddaughter. She was confident and strong. There were so many good things about her that men failed to find out because they were either deterred by the priestess's attitude or too obsessed with getting in the woman's pants to notice more than her looks.

Ami shook her head and tried to duck out of the conversation. "Never mind."

"No, no. Wait," Jed hastily stepped into her path, making the short woman shuffle backwards to keep from running into him. Looking up, Ami was startle by something in his eyes. Her feet froze to the floor. "I didn't mean it the way you might think."

There was a shadow there, right in his eyes. It reminded her of something, of something she had forgotten. She blinked and an image surged to the forefront of her mind. She saw green eyes instead of blue. She saw the same shadows in those green eyes pass those blonde curls. The heady sense of fear wrapped around her heart seconds before she felt the pain stab through her chest. Someone had shoved a knife into her.

She jerked out of the fuzzy memory and realized Jed was still speaking.

"—that's a passionate woman there. You let fire like that burn, not die."

Ami buckled over and gasped loudly in pain. Her palms hit the floor as she hunched over the linoleum. The phantom memory had felt so real. She could feel the blade hitting just below her sternum, nicking the underside of her stomach. There was a coppery taste in her mouth, but when she spat onto the floor she only saw clear salvia.

"Are you okay?" Jed cried out as he knelt beside her. He watched anxiously as she press a hand against her ribs. Her blue eyes were wide with fright.

'_What was that?'_ she shivered. _'Why did it feel…'_

She was so confused. Her nerves were on fire and there was a small throb in her skull. She swallowed down the bile creeping up her throat.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head and pressed down on her sternum. There was no knife, no blood. What had just happened?

"Ami?"

Was it a waking dream? Some weird form of neural disturbance?

"Ami?"

There had to be an explanation. There was always an explanation.

"You saw something, didn't you?"

She stiffened. Slowly, she turned her eyes up towards the man kneeling beside her. His eyes had turned a darker blue and his expression has sharpened. "What?"

He studied her for moment. "You did see something."

His voice had an unnerving edge to it, but she was too distracted to notice. More importantly, she failed to notice his hand going for his back pocket. He cursed softly and glanced towards the living room. Her eyes saw the gun only seconds before he leveled the barrel with her forehead. Her mouth went dry.

"Don't scream."

'_Yea right,'_ her inner voice yelled.

"I kill your friends if you do."

All thoughts of screaming faded. She stared at the stony glare in utter shock. "That's your cousin in the other room."

"That can't be helped," he hissed while tightening his grip on the gun. "Now keep your voice low or I'll turn around and kill one of them whiling their sleeping."

She considered the distance between him and the entryway. Could she stop him before he got a clear shot? He easily jumped in, "You want to risk the chance."

Ami's blue eyes met his and knew he was right. She would rather let him take her than risk screwing up and getting the girls hurt. "Why are you doing this?"

"Well, I have orders," he replied softly. "I was suppose to stall you from leaving before reinforcement arrived, but time's running out."

She frowned, "Running out? What do you mean?"

He pushed the gun against her forehead. The cool steel made her swallow. "It doesn't matter. Now, do exactly as I say and slowly move out to the car."

"You're with them, aren't you?" she grumbled without moving. "The NVerse Corp?"

He didn't reply. He merely pressed the gun harder against her forehead. Hearing him loud and clear, she carefully pushed off the floor. As she made to stand, the gun pulled away from her skull, but never lost its aim. Her eyes watched the barrel, waiting for some small opening. If she went outside with him, she was as good as dead. She couldn't let him lead her out. Yet, she couldn't think of any other option that wouldn't involve her friends getting into danger.

"What's going on?" Rei abruptly shouted from the kitchen entrance. In the split second, Jed and Ami lost their focus and the gun shifted a hair off its line of target. Immediately, Ami realized her mistake and reached for the barrel. In a wild twist of hands, Jed spun and grabbed her wrist, yanking her around and shoving her back into his chest. She was put into a chokehold and the gun was rammed against her temple. Ami anxiously gripped her forearm, but did nothing more when he brusingly pressed the gun into her head.

Rei was gaping in the entrance at the scene she had stumbled upon. She had heard Ami's cry of pain followed by Jedite's concern questions. She had hastened back to the kitchen, never suspecting to find the cute blonde preparing to make a nice hole in her friend's skull. She glared murderously at the man, "Jedite?"

"Move into the living room!" He shouted. When Rei hesitated, he shook Ami to emphasize the need for the priestess to follow his command. "Move now!"

Rei's hands flew up. She couldn't understand what had happened in the short span of five minutes, but she knew when to listen to deathly threats. "Okay! Okay, just stop hurting her!"

He jerked Ami closer, "Move!"

Rei shuffled backwards, arms up. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure she didn't stumble, but her eyes didn't dart away from the gun for too long.

"Girls!" she called loudly as she stepped backwards into the living room. The sleeping bags shifted, but only a few inaudible moans responded.

"Get your lazy rears in gear!" Rei hollered, stomping her foot. "We have a small situation!"

That immediately got the girls' heads to life from their pillows. Their blurry eyes blinked rapidly, gradually focusing on the image of Mina's cousin pressing a gun to Ami's head. They flew up into sitting positions and all began yelling at once.

"What is—"

"Ami!"

"Jed, what are you—"

"Shut up!" Jedite shouted, tightening his arm under Ami's chin. "Just shut up!"

The girls quickly became quiet. Ami glanced at her friends, studying each of their expressions. She needed to figure out what they were thinking. To make sure, they caught the message in her face. She needed to tell them not use their powers. They couldn't let Jed see!

Rei shifted slightly and Ami zeroed in on the priestess's hand ducking behind her side. Ami silently mouthed her to stop.

""Jedite, what are you doing?" Mina repeated, exasperated with disbelief. She stared intently into her cousin's eyes. "Why are you hurting my friend?"

The man grounded out a weary breath of air past Ami's ear. Her fingers twisted around her arm. "Sorry, I never fully explained the work I do. I happened to be one of the workers for a top corporation you all are trying to evade."

"The NVerse Corp," Lita stated darkly. She carefully stepped closer to Mina as Serena pulled out of her sleeping bag.

He sneered, "Yes, I happened to be one of their leading men on our present project. I'm sort of a general if you will."

Rei was doing well to be subtle. Ami was perfectly in line of sight to tell she was reaching for something, but even she could barely tell she was going for her back pocket. Rei's eyes were firmly watching Jed, making sure he wasn't paying any mind to her. Mina, though intently or not, was doing a good job of keep Jed's focus. She was beginning to ramble about old times and wondering what had happened to the young man that had moved back to his hometown. The blonde woman waved her hand dramatically towards the man, demanding an explanation for his sudden change.

Ami heard the clicking noise of Rei's metal lighter. The nurse pulled hard against her captor and tried to yell a warning, but he cutoff her windpipe. Rei took the chance to whip out her trump card. Jed saw the movement and his head snapped towards her. His mind wasn't fast enough to process the sight of fire the size of an elephant exploding towards him. Ami leaned as far as she could to side, trying to avoid the flamethrower. The man howled in pain as the fire crashed into his unprotected face, and threw his prisoner to the floor. Ami's knees hit the wood hard and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Serena and Lita were at her side in seconds, half-dragging her away from the man's reach.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Rei marching forward with her lighter stretched out in front of her. The fire was wrapping around the man in wild hoops, licking angrily at his clothes. He cursed loudly as he clutched his burnt face. His tried to push away the flames, but they just swallowed up his arm. Rei rolled her wrist, telling the fire to travel up his jean jacket and nuzzle at his collar. He screamed again as it burned his exposed flesh. His gun clattered to the floor.

"No, Rei!" Ami cried. "Stop!"

"Like Hell!" the priestess shouted. Rei's jaw tightened and soon the fire swelled. "He just threatened a life so I'm going to threatened his."

Mina rushed over and grabbed the other woman's forearm, "No, don't! Please, don't kill him!"

Rei's momentarily flickered away from her target to glare at her friend. "I wasn't going to kill him!"

That was the only opening he needed. No one saw him squint through the dying flames and lift his palm. Everyone was too busy watching Mina and Rei's squabbling. It took the sharp sound of a flat whistle to lift their eyes. They whirled and stared in wonder as the air surrounding the singed man rippled. The odd ripples looked like the same illusion one saw when the air was hot over the pavement. The objects on the street would waver just like the air around Jedite was doing. The air crackled loudly in the girls' ears. The noise was sucked out of the air as an unseen force pushed the flames backwards. Rei gasped as the flames quickly snuffed out. As the last orange tongue of fire evaporated, the man's palm swelled like a sisth. Ami watched perplex as the bulge reached a baseball size and darkened. His skin quickly switched from yellow-brown to a bruising purple. The air cracked like thunder as the bulge abruptly transformed into a sphere of black light in the man's cupped palm. Lita called out a warning as the sphere leapt from his flat palm and charged the two bickering women.

They were lucky the strange orb was only a foot wide, or else, when the girls split apart, the orb would have slammed into their sides. They both fell to their knees, narrowly evading the danger. Jedite moved forward, intending to throw a second attack. Lita quickly dashed forward to protect her friends and crossed the room in three long strides. Cupping her palm, she reached towards the nearest lamp. Jed faced her in time to witness blue-green electricity jumping out of his favorite silver lamp into the brunette's waiting hand. The familiar warmth washed over her power and triggered the nerves throughout her hand. He gaped as she pushed her palm forward and released a bolt of lightning. He dove sideways, and the lightning ripped through the back of his jacket.

"Let's get out of here!" Ami shouted, edging towards the front door with Serena.

Pulling off the floor, Rei lifted her hand back up with an angry snarl, "I'm not done!"

A new wave of flames surged from her lighter and crashed into the living room wall. Ami yelled in horror as the orange flames immediately raced up the walls. "No, Rei!"

The priestess didn't listen and whirled on her heel to shoot another flame towards the curtains. Serena scrambled across the room and began gathering their sleeping bags, fearful of loosing their things. Rei was making short work of the house before anyone could do anything. She had almost consumed the entire lower half of the house. Suddenly, the beams overhead creaked and the girls froze. Surely, the house wasn't that unsteady. Ami's eyes widened when she saw the ceiling buckle.

Instinctively, the small nurse called out to the water slinking through the house's pipes and pushed the gallons of water through every faucet. The pressure in her head spiked drastically, but it wasn't a painful sensation. It was a just a simple awareness of the water flying out from multiple faucets and weightlessly combing through the air towards the heavily burning room. Ami lifted her hands, her fingers spreading out. When the water streamed down the stairs and through the kitchen entrance, the water followed her exampled and stretched out into a thin blanket. The water sizzled loudly as it connected with the monstrous flames and for a time, Ami was unsure that Rei would let her kill her fun. She was grateful to see the wood become a lifeless black stain.

Unfortunately, the flames had eaten away enough at the structure to cause the kitchen wall to collapse. Jedite, who had been hunched over in a ball during the entire time, had no chance to escape the avalanche. His blue eyes widened in fear when he wall groaned and fell towards him. Mina surged forward, her ability immediately wrapping around the failing structure. The gravity caught most of the wall, but she narrowly missed a handful of wood, sadly however, and the planks cracked loudly against the side of his skull. Mina cursed as she forced an invisible hand to refit the rest of the wall back into place as Jedite crumbled to the floor, half buried beneath a shallow pile of broken wood. The house groaned overhead and shifted in her hands.

"Oh god!" the blonde girl cried, feeling the weight push down on her.

"Mina!" Serena cried, "You can't hold up an entire house!"

"I know that!" Mina hissed, straining to hold her hands over her head. The gravity she enforced over the broken wood was waning. She didn't have long before it collapsed completely on top of them, but she wouldn't let her cousin or friends die, no matter that he recently threatened one of her closest friends. Her gift tightened around the wooden structure, intertwining directly into the nails and studs. Grunting softly, Mina carefully pulled her hands apart. The wood overhead began to crack and splinters flew out. The wood shavings fluttered out in a wild arch in slow motion as if they were as weightless like balloons full of helium. The girls were spellbound when the wood ripped into a deep split. The installation was revealed to the women's eyes and gradually the cracking wood exposed a blue sky. Mina felt the piercing needles in her skulls, but she had to ignore it. She had to concentrate.

"Mina…" Lita mumbled lowly.

The blonde woman moaned loudly as she pressed her gift out, pushing the walls down like a house of cards. The wood folded onto itself and crumbled outwards, leaving the women and unconscious in a neat, empty circle in the center of a skeleton of beams and furniture. Ami blinked as she stared upwards through the dust raining down. The outside cold immediately barreled against their hot bodies. Mina breathed heavily as the

Rei swiveled back and forth. "You just ripped a house in half."

The blonde sucked in a large mouthful of air and coughed. Still hunched over with her hands on her knees, Mina slowly pivoted her head towards the priestess with an evil glare peeking through her blonde locks.

"I noticed," she growled heavily. "But I wouldn't have, if you hadn't gone pyro!"

Rei turned to give the woman a sharp retort, but froze with her mouth half-open. The rest of the girls glanced over to the pair, their curiosity stirred by the sudden silence. Ami's eyes widened.

Mina's eyes softened when she saw her friends' matching expressions of disbelief. She darted her face side to side, searching for the unseen disturbance. When she found nothing, the blonde woman asked with blunt demand, "What?"

No one could find the words to say anything. Their eyes were transfix to the symbol of Venus etched across the blonde woman's forehead.

* * *

By the time he had arrived, the girls had made a clean getaway. Glancing around at the cold debris, he wondered how close he had been behind them. Had they been gone only a few minutes or hours? He figured it had been three hours. Yes, definitely three hour.

Quietly, he stepped forward into the splintered wood. His leather boot crunched down onto a pile of books and realized there must have been a set of shelves within the living room. He frowned when he recognized one of his favorite titles amongst the ruins. His eyes scanned the rest of the rubble and spotted the broken picture frames and busted furniture.

"Shame," he mumbled. He might have been walking through a graveyard. All the memories that had been so warm inside the house were now stolen away. But he did not blame the house's attacker for such a horrible fate. No, he blamed the house's fate on the unconscious figure lying out directly in front of him. He wasn't sure who exactly had torn the house in two, but he had a general idea. If he was correct, than the attacker was the same blood of the fallen man at his feet. That meant there was only one explanation for the attack.

He gradually knelt down beside the man, pushing him to his side to reveal the guy's face. Zoisite frowned when he saw the familiar tan cheekbones. He exhaled loudly through his nose, "You fool."

Pushing a little too hard, Zoisite shoved the man onto his back. He leaned forward and pressed two fingers against the unconscious man's pulse point. Finding a steady pulse, he grumbled, "You'll live. I don't know if that's in your favor after what happened."

Zoisite shook his head and glanced towards the black stains marring the broken walls. "Man, she was pissed. You must have done something real good."

He cleared the debris covering Jedite's chest and stared intently at the spot above the man's heart. It was about that time that Jedite's eyes fluttered open. Unfocused blue eyes darted to the side and squinted.

"W-Who are you?" the man slurred, lifting a weak head towards his bloody temple.

Zoisite looked up, his expression blank.

"I guess you wouldn't remember either. Makes sense considering all things." He mumbled. He wasn't really talking to the confused man on the floor; he was talking more to his uncertain thoughts. His green eyes took a moment to search the empty neighborhood. "Don't got much time."

Zoisite hurried to pull a long dark box out from his inner jacket pocket. Jedite was startled to catch sight of a handgun disappearing back behind the jacket folds. The glossy leather of the box shone beautifully in the waning evening light with the silver threaded letters catching the golden glare. He lifted the lid and Jedite wondered what could possibly the box contained to make the blonde stranger study so intently. He didn't have to wait longer than a few seconds before the unknown man lifted a perfect blue marble into view. Wait, it wasn't a marble. It was some kind of stone.

Jedite's heart began to pound in his ears when his eyes focused on the stone. His blood began to stir and he shifted uncomfortably on the hard floor. "What is that?"

Zoisite didn't find it important to answer. He simply ignored the man's frantic demand for answers and stretched out his arm. Jedite's voice became louder as he felt something tighten painfully in his chest. The stranger continued to ignore him and carefully placed the marble on the man's heaving chest. White pain flooded Jedite's senses as the marble careen precariously on the moving surface. To the confused man's shock, the stone remained perfectly in his seat, not the least bit jostled by his frantic breathing. His eyes widened as he noticed the stone sinking further into his chest. He lifted his chin against the waves of pain to see the stone had pushed halfway into his white polo. It was passing through his clothes as if it was vapor. He began to have trouble breathing. His lungs felt like they were full of lead.

He tried to swallow. He tried to breath. His lung strained for life, but there was no life to fill him. Hs chest squeezed tighter as the marble slipped deeper into the white material. There was only a small blue dot left on his chest. Pressure began to mount in his skull and a cloud passed through his thoughts. His mind was lost as his head hit the floor. His mouth went wide as he gave a mute gasp of pain. When the pressure in his body peaked, something inside snapped and the world disappeared from his senses. Jed's cheek pressed into the dust as his eyelids slid close and he fell back into unconsciousness.

Zoisite stared dully at the man's chest where the blue stone had once been. He hadn't expected the man to react in such a painful way, but he wasn't too surprise. Numbly, his fingers swept over the man's chest, feeling the smooth expanse of the chest. There wasn't even a small lump. He sighed heavily.

'_Is there no end to this? Will it always be this way?'_

His green eyes rotated towards the south. The blue image of his fair lady hung on the horizon. _'Is there no way to pay back these sins?'_

* * *

_**A/N: Next chapter will be a very big push for me. There will be a lot going on so please bear with me. I'll get it out as soon as I can.**  
_


	12. Parallel Parking

_**A/N: This chapter was really, really hard to get out. Woosh. I wanted to write more, but I thought there was too much in these eleven pages to continue adding to so here is chapter 12. **  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 12: Parallel Parking_

* * *

Ami couldn't say a word as they drove away from the small town. She felt like she should say something. Surely, she should offer some advice to Lita as the brunette woman drove aimlessly down the interstate. The small town of family stores and open fields had disappeared and random cities had slid pass her eyes. She knew a few of the cities' names, but she had lost all interest in the jeep's present location. They surely couldn't drive around until their tank went empty. They didn't have the money to spare. They needed a plan, some goal to follow. Yet, her voice had disappeared along with her brain.

Mute and distant, she had involuntarily sunk into a window seat and watched the scenery of snow covered shapes pass. The rest of the women were busy discussing their newly acquired adversary and the ruined house. She could hear the stress in each of their tones, but she was oblivious to the words shared. It was all a soft background noise. Even the scenery was lost as her mind lazily traveled back through the last surreal hour.

Her cheek pressed against the cold glass. They had torn down a house. They had torn down an entire house. Plus, they had destroyed every memory stored within those crumbled walls. A man would come home soon to nothing. Her heart tightened painfully.

The girls had been put in danger. Their secrets were all revealed to one of the NVerse's agents. They would send the entire unit of soldiers after them. There would be no end to this mad escape.

To top off the catastrophe, an orange gold symbol had blazed across Mina's forehead seconds after the blonde had ripped apart the two story house. Another puzzle piece had been thrown into the young intern's face, throwing her further into confusion.

Yet with it all, there was one solid fact that Ami had known from the beginning that her mind was incapable of ignoring at the present moment. The fact of the matter was that all of this mess was her fault.

All of this was because of her. She had been the one they wanted in the first place. She should never have gone home. She should have left with Zoisite. She should have disappeared. Maybe then they would never have known she was alive. Maybe her mom and her friends would have been sad, but they would have continued with their happy, free lives instead of running with her. Now, there was only a bleak future for them.

She blinked rapidly when the car jarred to a halt and saw they had stopped at a lonely gas station on the edge of a small woodland. There was a clear view of the interstate from the hill the station rested on, but it was plain to see that few people besides familiar truckers took a pit stop at this particular exit. Ami heard a door open and one of the girls step out. She glanced up and saw the women, minus Mina who had stepped out, had grown silent. Seeing the haze in their eyes, she immediately knew what they were thinking. They had realized they had destroyed the bridges that would later bring them back to their old lives. They knew there was no turning back. They were in for more than a long haul. That simple thought suddenly forced a lump into the young nurse's throat.

Serena's blue eyes snapped towards her and Ami couldn't bear the weight of her stare. She frantically opened her door and rushed out into the cold dusk. Mina looked up from the pump, but said nothing as she watched her friend strode towards the other end of the gas station. Ami was grateful for her silence. She didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to be alone. For once, she had no answers to give them.

Drifting to the edge of the concrete, she stared mutely out at the shadowy forest and wrapped her coat tighter around her frigid body. The trees were tall pines, blocking the view of the horizon in every direction. They had to be at least eighty or so miles north of Jedite's town. Even though the scenery suggested they were cut off from the world's eyes, she didn't feel the least bit comforted. Her blood was thrumming with building hysteria. She felt like there were a million eyes on her. The threads that knitted her shaky emotions together were begging to burst. Her heart was ready to leap out of her chest. Her hand unconsciously settled over her heart and twisted into her coat as if to hold it down.

She couldn't loose herself to it. She couldn't have another panic attack like she did when she was younger. She needed to stay calm and rational. It was such a tempting line to cross. The line between free emotions and carefully locked feelings had teased her for the last years. More then once, she had almost given into that uncaring impulse to let her soul be free of her carefully made cage. Yet, she had infuriatingly kept things under control. She had listened to her rational half, allowed her emotions to be carefully disposed of or put aside. She had reminded herself that emotional decisions lead only to bad conclusions. All her experiences proved this theory.

**Her dead cat.**

**Her parents' divorce.**

**Her resolve to stay away from people in middle school.**

**Greg.**

**Running from Zoisite's apartment.**

If she stayed under control, things were well. She needed to remember that as she stood at the gas station, staring anxiously at the nearby line of trees. If she hurried, she could maybe run into the trees and disappear before the girls could react. She could leave them, throw off the NVerse's scouts—do anything to free the girls from this horrible chase.

Fortunately, her logic rooted her to the spot. Her logic told her running from the girls wouldn't save them. They would most likely follow her and possibly get lost in the fast approaching night. The cold would tear them down and their fate would be no better. More so, the NVerse might broaden their search for her and include the girls on their personal wanted list. They were looking for her, the Moon Princess, but would they completely ignore the prospect of new subjects to study? Very unlikely.

That's why she had to ignore the emotion in her that whispered to run away. She couldn't let a moment of weakness destroy everything and prove her once more a fool. She needed to be strong like her dear friends. She needed to stay with them, defend them. If nothing else, She would trade herself for them should the NVerse find them. She would gladly give her life in exchange for theirs. That's what logic demanded, and by god, that was what she would follow.

Slowly, the frazzled nerves settled down and her breathing became even again. She inhaled deeply and felt a small glow stretch through her body. As she wiggled her toes, she offered a convincing smile to the sky. She could stand tall against it. She could be strong. Even as she thought this, two tears slid down her face.

_'Just let it roll off. You're stronger than this. You're smarter than this.'_

She would not bend to mindless emotions.

_'I'm the corner stone of the missions. I'm the one who always is clear headed and prepared. I shoulder through the hard stuff, even though I'm the weakest of us girls.'_

That was why she was important. She was able to keep her feelings at bay and make smart, rational decisions when there was pressure. Irony had it that she had learned to hold down her emotions through experiences that had been humiliating, but the fact remained that she knew how to stay level in a crisis. She could do it again. She would prove to herself that she was a woman with a steady hand.

_'Yes, that's right. That's what I will do.'_

The gentle beep in her coat pocket immediately stopped her. Unconsciously, her hand had reached for her cell phone and she had opened it to the flashing screen before she knew what she was actually doing. She was surprised to see she had received a new voicemail. She frowned. When had she turned her phone to silent? She shrugged, uncaring, and dialed her voicemail box. Pressing the cell to her ear, she waited patiently for the voice recording as her thoughts mulled.

_**"First new message—Hi, Ami."**_

Her heart stopped completely. The tear clogged voice of her mother quietly spoke through the tiny speaker.

_**"I hope you get this message. I didn't know what other number to call. If I'm lucky you'll still have your cell, but I understand if you never get this. I'm a fool to think you might still have your cell phone a month after you were kidnapped. I guess that's why I still paid your phone bill. I hoped you could still use it."**_

It was so strange to hear her mother ramble. Her mother never rambled unless she was under deep distress. It was so different from all the other calls she would get from her. The older woman had never failed to be strong when she was needed. That's how she made the best head nurse had the hospital.

_**"I know. I'm rambling. But I can't help it. I'm just so…"**_

Ami anxiously waited for her mother's voice to continue. She heard a muffle sigh cross into her ear. She could almost hear the tears sliding down her mother's face.

_**"I want to be there for you. I feel so helpless here, waiting for the phone to ring. Please call me, sweetheart. I-I'm so worried for y-you."**_

_**Click.**_

Her fingers had become so tight around her small cell that when she unclenched her fist the small joints in her long digits ached. She looked down and stiffly ended the call. The phone number faded and Serena's photo jumped back to the front of the screen.

When she saw the picture, a thought occurred to the woman. Was there anyone on her list of contacts that wasn't a possible target for a phone tap? She hastily switched to the cell's address book and rolled down the list of numbers. She got a sixth of the way through the list when she realized it was a pointless search. There was a good chance the NVerse had downloaded the numbers off her Sims card. That meant every number was useless to her.

Her hand dropped heavily. _'Surely, there's someone I can call. We don't have enough money to make it very far. We got a little breakfast at Jedite's, but that was hours ago.'_

She glanced over her shoulder at the jeep. Mina had gone back into the jeep and the girls were patiently waiting for Ami to return. They kept glancing towards her, their mouths flapping mutely behind the dusty windows. Ami sighed and turned back around. She wasn't quite ready yet.

She sniffed quietly and glanced back down at her phone. Would a text message make it through without detection? She wasn't sure how taps worked. She wasn't an FBI agent or police. Hand her a book and she would be able to answer the question tomorrow, but for now she was at a lost. _'I'm probably being foolish. There surely isn't any way for them to track a text message to another cell. I've never heard of something so ridiculous.'_

She nodded, "Okay."

The keypad beeped happily beneath her thumb.

_**Message: Need help. On run from captors with girls. **_

It was simple and direct. She knew it would get the desire affect. Smiling triumphantly, the little lady sent her message. The screen flashed a yellow smiley face before returning to the main menu. Ami flipped her cell close and swiveled around. Now it became a waiting game.

She studied the jeep, debating whether or not to return to the vehicle's warmth. The girls were throwing worried glances towards her. Shuffling her feet, Ami decided to stay out in the cold wind for a little longer. Besides, the cold was something she enjoyed.

Silently, she watched the wind ruffle through the green network of vegetation. The long grass rolled like an ocean wave and crashed against the tree line. The movement was relaxing to her senses. She inhaled the deep smell of pine, but her mind told her it was the heady aroma of a racing river. Her mind was too full with everything else to hear the wind blown branches scratching against each other.

* * *

..

_She marched proudly into the throne room alongside the girls. The Queen turned to face them upon the sound of their heels clattering across the smooth floor. The blonde noble's brilliant smile only momentarily distracted the young princess before her eyes caught sight of the two men standing beside the queen. She stiffened. _

_The gray uniforms the men wore were familiar to her. Taking a few minutes to scan through her photographic memory, she recalled the four star insignia on their shoulders. 'Earthmen Generals? Why would an Earthman General be here? And why two?'_

_"Girls," Serenity greeted warmly. "I'm glad to see you all well after your training."_

_Ami had only barely heard the queen. Her blue eyes were focused on the two men, specifically on the long haired blonde who was blocking most of the view of the second man. He was fairly tall with broad shoulders. He looked a few years older than her. His blonde eyebrows jumped upwards when he spotted the Senshi walking into the throne room. A brunette stepped out from behind him, a mirror image counterpart. They could have been brothers._

_"My good fellows, I introduce you to the Senshi and Moon Princess."_

_Suddenly, a third figure, she had yet to note, turned around. It was a third general. He had pure white and bone-straight hair. She shivered when she saw the hard edge in his eyes. It was an expression that demanded respect. _

_"Ladies, these are the famous Generals of Earth."_

* * *

..

Ami blinked rapidly._'What was that?'_

She scanned her surroundings and took in the green scenery. _'Was t-that a waking dream?'_

Ami cradled his head in her palm as a familiar ache ran through her skull. _'What the h—"_

_**Ding**_

Her blue eyes snapped downwards. Her phone was flashing. Her thumb automatically flipped open her cell and revealed the happy message dancing across the screen: _New Text Message_.

Her blue eyes widened with excitement and she eagerly pressed the select button, momentarily forgetting about the recent vision. She grinned. The sender was the one she had been hoping to respond.

_**Sender: Luna**_

_**Date: 2/15/07**_

_**Message: Go west on I45 to the town of Arlington. Take exit 436. Go to the coffee shop on the corner. Meet the man with long, white hair. He'll help. 6:02:34pm.**_

She reread the last two sentences. _'A man with white hair. He'll help?'_

Was it possible that the mysterious messenger Luna was a man? It was surely possible considering the stranger's name didn't necessarily refer to he or she's real name. For all Ami knew she could have been texting a five-year-old super genius. The nurse rolled her eyes. _'That would make this story all the more ridiculous.'_

_**Ding**_

She blinked rapidly at her phone's small screen. The surprise of a second text message quickly disappeared when she saw the sender.

_**Sender: Michelle**_

_**Date: 2/15/07**_

_**Message: Where can we meet? 6:03:45pm.**_

Ami hesitated. Did she really want to add Amara and the others into this? She had already pulled the girl's into the pit. The more the merrier? Ami was uncertain as she stared at the black lettered question. They definitely needed the help. If the NVerse was going to be sending more of their _generals_ after—

It was like a sudden cold blast hitting her right in the chest. Her heart was constricted and it hurt to breath. Jedite had called himself a _general_ of the NVerse Corporation and in her dreams the queen had called those men generals. One of the men in her dream had been Zoisite while another had been a man with white hair.

She glanced down at her cell with a sinking feeling in her gut. She was on the edge of something big. She could feel it down to the tips of her toes. Everything was still a bunch of puzzle pieces laid out in front of her with no box cover to follow as a guide, but she could tell by the tingling in her gut that she had idea abut what the picture should look like. She was getting closer to some grand answer. There had to be. Maybe the answer was in that town of Arlington.

If there was one thing about Ami that all the girls understood is was whenever the blue haired nurse had a hunch, she didn't hesitate to follow it.

_**Sender: Ami**_

_**Date: 2/15/07**_

_**Message: Meet us in Arlington off I45. We're going to the coffee shop on the corner in two hours. How long will it take you to get there? 6:07:03pm.**_

The icon of an envelope folded close and faded to confirm the message had been sent. Ami slipped her phone back into her pocket and sighed. How could life go straight to Hell so fast?

* * *

..

An hour and a half later, the girls had miraculously arrived at the coffee house. For a time, Ami thought they were all going to die from Lita's crazed speeding, but amazing they had survived without raising the police sirens. The brunette had demanded to arrive early to stake out the place for the white haired contact.

"In this type of a situation, it's beneficial to arrive first and watch the setup," Lita had stated firmly. "If it's a trap, we might be able to spot accomplices entering with him."

Ami personally disagreed with her friend. If it was a trap of accomplices blending into the scene, then the people would be smart enough to blend into the coffee house without being notice. They wouldn't just all walk into together like some gang. Even so, they parked a few rows away from the main entrance and carefully watched the people passing through the glass doors.

"What about that kid with the skateboard?"

"I doubt they would have a kid as an employee."

"He keeps looking around."

"Probably waiting on his friends. Now, that old man playing chest, he could possible be one?"

"A kid wouldn't be a danger, but a guy who has walker would be?"

"What walker?"

"The one against the wall."

"Oh. It could be a fake."

"A fake walker…"

"Well, you know a…um…he might not be crippled. He's using it to throw us off."

"Okay, so everybody watch out for when the old guy goes for his walker. It could be a bomb."

"Hey, I'm being serious!"

Ami wasn't paying attention to them She wasn't looking at anyone who didn't have long, white hair. She was anxious to connect a face to the mysterious text messages they had been receiving for over four years. They were all anxious to see him and finally connect the dots to one of the biggest mysterious.

* * *

..

_Ami anxiously glanced at Serena through the corner of her eyes. She saw the blonde staring in awe at the flash frozen vehicle in front of her. Ami's heart lurched into her throat as she watched her first and only friend come to the same earth-moving realization her parents' had when she had broken her snow globes. Serena's blue eyes slowly drifted to the side. They grew wide as they focused on the blue-haired teenager standing beside her. Her mouth flapped open, "D-Did you just…"_

_Ami was a deer in a pair of headlights. There was the familiarity of mounting tension and the drop in her stomach. It was that moment before a person lost something important. She knew the feeling well and seeing her friend take a shaky step backwards she steeled herself for the stormy grief that would soon follow. She swallowed back her tears and waited for the crashing rain. She didn't know how she would survive another detached relationship._

_"Did you just cause the hydrant to shoot water all over that man's car? And then freeze the fire?"_

_ Ami began to shake. Serena was the only person she had ever grown close to after her dad left. Once Serena made a hasty exit, Ami wasn't sure if she could endure another lapse of solitude. She had barely survived her parent's divorce. But a best friend relationship didn't seem half as easy. _

_"I hope you have a great life," she rushed out before the sobs could take over her vocal cords. Hastily, Ami whirled around and began to jog away from the car accident. There was a bus stop two blocks down. She could get home that way. _

_"Ami, wait!" She was surprised when the blonde girl grabbed her wrist and kept her from running away. Looking over her shoulder, she didn't see the expected expression of fear or revulsion. Ami saw joy written all across her recently best friend's warm face. The happiness quickly died from the blonde's face. "Ami? Why are you upset?"_

_Ami couldn't believe what she was hearing. Serena was a bit spacey, but she wasn't an airhead. It had to be a pity party Serena was throwing for her. "Its okay, Serena. You don't have to pretend this isn't freaking you out."_

_"Well, of course this is freaking me out!" Serena squealed with a wide smile. "I mean I thought I would never find someone else like me."_

_Ami stared at her, lost. "Huh? What are you talking about?"_

"_Well, she told me I would find others," Serena rambled on with a wave of her hand. "But it's hard to believe a text message. I mean I'm nearly sixteen and I never met another person like me so why should I believe a complete stranger saying I would? But I guess you—"_

_Serena was getting into another one of her moments when she would tune out the rest of the world as she chased one of her random thoughts. It was like a fox getting loose in an open yard of dogs. Ami usually just let her finish her never ending sentence, but something Serena had mumbled had caught her attention. Ami frantically waved her hands around to catch her friend's attention. "Whoa! What did you just say? What did you mean about 'someone like me'?"_

_Serena blinked innocently, "You know."_

_Ami's shoulders sunk down in disbelief. Sometimes her friend was so dense it was unreal. "No, I don't. What are you talking about?"_

_The blonde glanced back towards the man lying unconscious in the frozen car. After scanning the empty intersection, she pulled out her bright pink cell phone. Ami watched silently as the girl dialed a number and leaned into the earpiece. "Yes, 9-1-1? Yes, I would like to report an accident at the intersection of Holly Blvd and Terrace Ave. Some car ran into a lamppost. Thank you."_

_Snapping her phone close, she smiled brightly. "Alright, let's grab a cup of coffee, Ames."_

_"W-What?" the blue-haired teen exclaimed as her friend began tugging her by her elbow towards the waiting jeep. "Serena?"_

_Ami could do very little, but sit there in confusion as her best friend drove to the nearest coffee shop. She had expected Serena to turn around and run in fear. Heading for coffee wasn't even number two on the list of possibilities. Maybe calling the police would be closer to what she expected. _

_Numbly, she followed Serena into a familiar shop and sank into a booth in the back corner. After giving their waitress their order, Ami stared at her best friend and waited. Serena took her time to connect her gaze back with her friend. She had been carefully avoiding her eyes for fear of exploding with excitement. She was about to start crying happy tears, but she had to hold it in or else terrify Ami. Poor girl looked ready to bolt._

_Carefully, Serena lifted her eyes. Ami was pale and stiff as a board in the cushy booth. Her entire attention was focus on the other woman. Serena was a little uncertain how to start out her explanation. She was not the most eloquent person when it came to explaining, especially something of this magnitude. _

_"We are a lot alike, Ami," Serena began carefully. "We might get along very well, but it's not our personalities that I'm talking about. It's our special… abilities."_

_Hope began to stir in the young teenager's heart. The idea that someone else could be like her had always been a fantasy to her, but never a real possibility. It had been too hard to accept her own abilities. It had taken hours of crying and tearing glass out of skin before Ami was able to get over the shock of her water globe shattering in her face when she was barely thirteen. She had been terrified of her own body. How could anyone not be afraid of her?_

_"What are you talking about Serena?" Ami repeated. She felt so close to the edge of tears. _

_The other woman hesitated as the waitress returned with their order. Ami didn't glance towards the young girl setting down their coffee cups. She stared at her friend. Serena waited until the waitress had left before she turned back to her friend. She looked the blue-haired genius straight in the eye and wondered how Ami could not understand something so simple and easy. Perhaps, it was because Ami had long buried the emotional side of her psyche. Ami lived by her intelligence, not her passion. _

_Serena might not be the brightest bulb in the ceiling, but she knew how to connect with people. She knew Ami wouldn't accept any word she uttered. At least, that was what her gut told her. A scientist wanted proof, not promise. _

_Silently, the blonde girl dared the open view of the busy coffee shop and turned her hand over. With her palm up, Serena revealed the truth to the skeptical woman across from her. _

_The first thing she noticed was that the temperature at the booth rose. It was a cool fall evening, but slowly felt more like early summer. Ami's blue eyes widened marginally as tiny orange glow began to radiate from the center of her friend's palm. The cold, uncertainty she had been feeling was washed away and replaced with soft tranquility. She watched mesmerized as the light grew larger and the heat stretched further through her body. _

_"W-What is it?" she mumbled awkwardly. _

_Serena's face tilted as she took in the happy light beginning to shine her friend's face. "I really don't know."_

_Ami's hand unconsciously reached out for the tiny spark of light. Serena hastily enclosed the light in her fist and extinguished the spark. The other woman looked at her in surprise. "Why did you—" _

_"You mustn't touch it. The light might appear small, but it's very dangerous."_

_Ami stiffened in the booth, "Dangerous?" _

_Serena released the tension in her hand and let it relax against the table. Yet, no light returned. Ami gently pressed her fingers against her friend's palm, searching for some sign that the light had existed. There were burn marks or fading heat. There was only the memory. _

_"It started happening a few years ago. I didn't know what it was, but with time I learned how to control it."_

_"Where does the light come from?"_

_Serena shook her head as she stared down at her own palm, "I don't know."_

_Ami blinked down at their hands, "That's so weird."_

_"Weird?"_

_"Well, yes," she replied softly. She pressed down harder on her skin until it turned red. Serena whined loudly and Ami quickly released her. She sheepishly looked back up at the blonde girl. "You see I can only manipulate water. I can't make water appear out of thin air like you can with the light."_

_"Really?" It was Serena's turn to be surprise. Seeing the answer in her friend's face, Serena flexed her fingers. "That is weird."_

_Ami shrugged, "Well, either way is still odd."_

_"True," Serena gushed happily. "Man, I'm so glad you aren't freaked out. I was wondering for a while now if I should tell you, but Luna said to wait. I kept saying—"_

_Ami's eyebrows rose, "Luna? Who's Luna?"_

_Serena bit her lower lip as she flushed pink, "Well, actually I don't know who Luna is…"_

_"Huh?" _

_"Well, I never met her…or him."_

_"You don't know if it's a he or a she?"_

_"Luna never said," Serena's began to sink deeper into the booth. _

_Ami clutched the sides of her head and inhaled deeply, "Wait. Back up. How did you come to talk with this 'Luna' person?"_

_"I got a text message."_

_"A text message?" Ami repeated lowly. _

_"Yea, Luna said someone needed my help."_

_"I don't like where this is going."_

_"So I went to the park to find the girl who needed help."_

_"Luna said go to the park?"_

_"Yes, she or he said there was a girl in the park who needed my help."_

_"So you just listened to some random stranger?" Ami asked in disbelief. Her voice was tender as she spoke, but she wanted to reach across the table and hit the blonde in the head for such foolish, dangerous behavior. _

_"Yep," Serena stated cheerfully. "I know it sounds crazy, but I couldn't help thinking that what if this person wasn't lying and someone needed help."_

_"Maybe I needed to be there to understand this," Ami mumbled to herself. _

_"So I went to the park, and Ami, guess what I found."_

_Ami lifted her head wearily, "What?"_

_"I found a girl being attacked by a gang of boys."_

* * *

..

From there, their friendship had progressed into a dual relationship. One side had been between themselves where they reveled in the secret they shared while the other side lived to hear the mysterious Luna's calls. Ami had no problem dealing with a person who also had supernatural abilities, but she hadn't believed in the all-knowing text messages. Ami didn't immediately followed Serena when Luna would send a message. She had waited and watched what happened. After several very real victims were discovered, Ami had begun to believe in the mysterious stranger. She accepted the message's missions as they had come to call them and followed her best friend into the heart of some of the most disturbing situations. Meeting up with serial killers and street gangs had been only brushing the surface.

Ami let the memory slip to the back of her mind. She glanced down at her watch. "We've got ten minutes. We need to decide who's going inside."

Lita shifted in her seat to better see the nurse. "Shouldn't we all go? You know, safety in numbers."

Rei shook her head, "I don't like the idea of everyone going in, but I don't like anyone going in alone either."

"How about two of us?" Serena asked, swiveling around to seat with her feet up on the dashboard. "It would be—"

"Look, there he is," Mina whispered frantically. Ami followed the blonde's extended arm and spotted the white head pushing through the thin crowd on the sidewalk. She tried to catch a glimpse of his face, but the walkers were blocking her view. "Oh, he's a hottie! Nice bonus!"

Everyone was leaning hard against the front seats and staring out the front window. They saw the door open and the guy turned his back to the vehicle. His white hair whipped up and caught the overhead light. It was the guy.

Ami knew then as he made his way to a back corner that she wanted to be in there during the initial meeting. There was no real reason why she should be one of the people to meet him. If it went by who knew Luna first, then Serena had dibbs. Ami was just the tag along at the beginning of it all. Yet, Ami was urged to go meet him first. There was something waiting with that man. There had to be.

"Serena and I will go," she announced boldly to the carload of girls. When they turned towards her, she shrugged in response. She had no real logic to her answer. "I just want to meet him."

Want. It was a strange word to hear come from Ami's mouth. She was a girl who talked about need or responsibility, but want was something that she kept to herself. The girls knew she was afraid of her emotions taking her down the wrong path like they had in the path. Ami lived and breathed logic. It was not to say she was inhuman. No, they had heard her laugh and seen the hint of tears. Ami was just careful to lock away that part of her. She felt it was a way to protect her heart from the shame. So whenever, she asked for something from the girls, whether it was large or small, it was hard to deny her.

Rei glanced towards the others and gave a small nod of agreement, "Let meatball head and Ames go. They can handle it."

Serena was silent as she eyed the coffee shop. Her expression was unreadable. Ami bet her friend was even more anxious than she was to meet the man waiting inside.

"Okay," Mina replied as she stiffly leaned back in the driver's seat. "But be careful. If things go bad, give us some kind of signal."

* * *

_**A/N: What are yall thinking? Crazy? Exciting? Dumb? Totally didn't see that one coming? Tell me, please. **_


	13. News Flash

A/N: Another successful addition to this story. I apologize for any misspellings. I take more time getting the feel of the story than worrying about spelling. I get so excited for a newly completed chapter that I hurry and update it without much rereading, but I now see I've been making some major mistakes. So I'm now trying to check my chapters a lot harder. Sorry for the frustration.

* * *

Snowflakes

By angelwings1

* * *

Chapter 13: News Flash

* * *

.. 

Some child wake up and believe they were destined for something grand. There is no reasoning to explain their unbridled passion. Maybe they saw something on television or heard of a person's contribution to society. Either way, there are many who wake up and believe they were meant for more than what they were given by life. They simply stand against the grimy world and declare to the sky with tiny fists raised that they will be remembered as greatness. Some are stolen from the world in car accidents or disease, never to be thought of as more than an unfortunate soul who died too young. Other children live out their lives, all the way to the ripe old age of wrinkles and walkers, only to have missed out on the opportunities that could have made them more than a passing fancy in time. The last are the chosen handful of fate, who fall into a miraculous greatness that will established them as an unforgettable memory.

As Ami and Serena quietly crossed the parking lot, the young intern believed they were stumbling on such a fate. She could feel that stirring in her gut, whispering that once they passed into the coffee shop everything would fall into place. They would discover their true, grand destiny.

Ami silently shook off the feeling. Life wasn't a fairytale of princesses and magic. Life wasn't so clean cut. It was jagged and ugly. She had to keep telling herself that or she would get sucked up into the surrealism of the situation. The man waiting wasn't the last puzzle piece to a grand story. He was another person with dreams, haunts, faults, etc. She couldn't put him on a pedestal.

The women's strides were long and stiff. A local radio station was playing on the outside intercom. The fast music was strange to hear when the world seemed to be going in slow motion. Ami clutched her bottle of water tighter. She stepped pass her friend and grabbed the door handle. The warm heat flushed over them as they stepped inside. Their eyes were set instantly on the white crown in the back corner. He was lazily sitting back in the booth with his hand inches away from a cell phone on the tabletop. Sadly, he was facing the opposite direction of the front door so Ami was still refused a glimpse of his face.

"Come on," Serena whispered, heading for the booth. She wasn't going to wait any longer. She had spent years waiting to meet her text message buddy.

Ami followed with her blue eyes darting away from the mysterious man to scan the occupants of the coffee shop. The place was filled mostly with college students who were grouped together in laughing circles. They each were too busy discussing random topics to take much noticed of the two attractive women passing. One of the guys, however, did take the time to wink at them. Near the windows, a pair of elderly men was playing a game of chest and a woman was absorbed into the screen of her laptop. The blue light glowed across her hard face and bright red hair. Closer to the wall, there was a man in a cap sipping his coffee as he enjoyed a thick book. His nose was so deep in the book that it looked ready to swallow his face.

Nothing in the shop shouted danger, but Ami was instinctively wary. A trap was never visible to the naked eye of the victim. She wished she had asked Rei if she had any bad feelings about the meeting. She could have judged the danger.

Reaching the back corner, Ami brought her eyes back to the waiting man. As Serena stepped alongside his table, his head slowly turned and revealed his profile. Ami's heart skipped when she saw the hard lines drawn in his face. Cold, aqua eyes shifted to Serena first, taking in her wide, excited smile. Ami thought she saw a light of recognition spark in his eyes. Gradually, his hard face swiveled towards the nurse. Unconsciously, Ami pulled her bottle of water behind her.

"Hi," Serena greeted. She seemed completely at ease in comparison to the nervous flutter in Ami's stomach. "Are you Luna's friend?"

As his features came into full view, Ami recalled her most recent dream. The memory was fuzzy, but it was easy to compare the man with the one from her dream and immediately know it was the same person. The lines of his face all fit into place like a stencil. She nervously stepped backwards, unbeknownst to her friend. The man's aqua eyes narrowed on her.

She had never met the man before tonight. There was no way she could have dreamed up his face. His eyes and strong chin were too accurate in her mind. It was possible that she was having a crazy episode of dejavu, but it just didn't feel like that to the nurse. Ami studied the man's unreadable expression. What did it mean to see his face here in reality? What was happening?

The laughter behind them sounded so out of place. Everything felt so wrong, like there was something important that was missing. Suddenly, he pushed to his feet and Serena hastily stepped back to give him room. Ami's stomach twisted. "Um…you are the person we are supposed to meet, right?"

"We shouldn't talk here," he stated lowly. He scanned the shop and gradually stepped towards the rear of the shop. "There's a back alley."

Ami glanced towards Serena. If they went into the alley, they would be out of view of the girls. Ami wasn't sure how to judge the situation with the memory of her dream clouding her mind. She kept wondering if her powers had manifested into something like Rei's ESP. She was searching for some secret message that would tell her if she could trust the white headed stranger.

"Okay," Serena said slowly. At least, if he was a threat, it was two against one. They should be able to handle the man even if he might be one of the NVerse's supernatural soldiers. There was still the likely chance of others waiting in the alley. Then, they would be walking straight into the NVerse's hands. Ami glanced towards the windows and realized the crowd had thickened outside. She couldn't see the jeep. The girls wouldn't see them exit the shop.

The white haired man headed towards the restrooms. Ami saw the exit beyond the women's facilities. Serena was already stepping forward to follow.

"I would rather we talked here," Ami insisted before they got far. They turned and eyed the nurse.

"There are too many eyes," he replied sharply. He had stopped moving, but he hadn't turned completely around. It was obvious that he didn't want to discuss the matter. "We need to get out of earshot."

"How about out front?" Ami asked evenly, not willing to be bullied into it. "We can find a nice spot in the parking lot."

He hesitated for a moment, "You're being tracked. They might not be out there when you entered the coffee shop, but there's a chance they might soon arrive. We need to get out of view."

"Ami?" Serena gave her a look. _'What's wrong?'_

The nurse shook her head slightly. Serena glanced between her friend and the waiting man. Her blonde eyebrows jumped in question. _'What should we do?'_

Looking at the man's scowl, Ami tasted the air out of habit. She could feel the water sloshing through the pipes throughout the plumbing. Fighting inside would be too risky with so many people around. If someone didn't get hurt, then the fight would be all over the local news. Better to handle things as quietly as possible. Besides, a throw down in the coffee house with waterworks might catch more than a news reporter's interests.

"Okay." She straightened and stepped forward. He nodded and continued towards the back door, ignoring the sharp look she gave him. Serena nervously fell into step, staring at her friend's profile. She hadn't been worried before, but now that Ami evidently was, her stomach was twisting into knots. Ami was a defensive player in fights and could find holes in the best made strategies. She prayed Ami had a plan to keep them out of trouble.

No one inside the shop took notice as they passed the pair of restrooms and hit the hand bar to open the back exit. Serena glanced over her shoulder to see if anyone was watching, but everyone was tucked neatly in their previous positions, lost in their own personal worlds. She shrugged and closed the door behind her.

Ami inwardly cringed when the door closed with a loud clank and she saw the dingy back alley. It was covered in shadows with only a small bit of light peeking over the top of the roofs. There was the heavy smell of alcohol and stale coffee, making her nose curl.

She stepped in front of Serena as the man faced them. That was when another waking dream flashed through the nurse's head. The man was there again in her dream, but this time he was standing in a dark hallway that strangely resembled the alleyway. His grim eyes were bright in the shadows as he stared at the darkness. His hand covered the hilt of a sword tucked in his belt.

* * *

.. 

_"It will be a dark day when the Prince of Earth marries the Moon Princess," he whispered lowly. Something shifted beside him and Ami realized there was someone standing next to him, deeper in the shadows. _

_"We cannot allow the Silver Millennium Kingdom to gain power over the last remaining House of the Stars," someone replied softly. The voice was oddly gargled as if the person throat was full of water. Ami leaned forward as the person's voice went lower. "We must find a way to destroy the marriage."_

_Blue eyes narrowed, "Indeed."_

* * *

Ami blinked rapidly and found herself back in the alley way behind the coffee shop. Serena and the man from her dreams were looking at her with odd expressions. "Ami?"

The young nurse's instincts immediately told her to run away. They kept screaming at her growing louder with each second. It might have been only a dream, but she couldn't shake off the eerie feeling hanging over the man's presence. She stared at him and kept seeing that dark hallway. They needed to get away from him.

Without a second thought, Ami flung her water bottle straight at the man's face. His eyes widened and he hastily lifted his hand as if to catch it. She didn't give him time. Before it came into arm's reach of him, she commanded the water to break out of the plastic container and spray straight into his face. The man clawed at his face as icicles began to stretch across his bare skin. While he was momentarily distracted, Ami grabbed her friend's wrist.

"Come on!" she yelled, yanking Serena down the alley.

Serena yelped in surprise and scrambled to keep up. "Ami? Why did you do that?"

The dream flashed again. She saw the unsavory emotions in his eyes. "You have to trust me. We got to get away from him!"

Serena clamped her mouth shut and concentrated on moving her feet faster. Questioning Ami's motives would be a very stupid move. Ami didn't just fly off the handle unless there was good reason. Sure, Lita had blown the lights at the club, but—

Serena's face snapped towards her friend. Wait. There had been some guy at the club that had scared Ami. Was that man with white hair the same guy?

Serena's blue eyes widened. What was going?

Ami pumped her legs faster as she heard the man's steps behind them. They needed to get back to the parking lot and regroup. She didn't know what the man was capable of, but if she had any idea than it was likely something unpredictable.

That was when the ground beneath their feet decided to take the opportunity to shift. Ami felt the surface of concrete bulge under her sneakers and ripple. Ami and Serena scrambled to stay standing, but the concrete's unsuspecting jerk sideways sent them to the hard ground. They both grunted as they painfully hit the concrete. Ami was the first to regroup and face the fast approaching figure. Squinted in the darkness, she could see a dark purple glow encompassing his hand. She stiffened. It was the same light that had burst out of Jedite's hand earlier that day.

"You're from the NVerse!" she snapped.

His scowl tightened, "You should be more careful of sending text messages to friends."

The dark light flared and the ground shifted again under her feet. Ami yelped when she felt cold hands wrap around her ankles. Looking down, she saw the concrete had somehow transformed into an unstable form and latched onto her.

"Hey, let her go!" Serena yelled, leaping up. Her blue eyes were filled with fury.

"I have orders to take you in," the man daunted, marching forward. He locked his blue eyes on the blonde woman. "Either you come with me or I take you anyway."

"Look out, Serena!"

Serena launched herself at the man when she felt the cold brush against her ankles. His eyes followed her upwards as she sailed through the air. With blonde locks streaming behind her, Serena shot out her palm. Ami recognized the golden star expanding in her friend's hand seconds before the hot air blasted in her face. It was rare to witness, but Serena was planning to unlock her powers. The man rushed forward to meet her, his own dark light growing. He wasn't going to let her make the first hit.

Then, out of no where a gun cracked like thunder in the nurse's ears. Ami's heart dropped to her toes when she heard the gunshot and saw her friend's body jerk. Serena cried out as her back arched. Her golden light snuffed out like someone had flipped a light switch and her thin body crumpled to the ground. It had happened all so fast that it seemed unreal for Serena's shoulder to be bleeding. The woman whimpered quietly as the white haired man came to tower over her. Serena glared up at him from the ground and pressed her hand against her bullet wound.

His blue eyes glanced up pass Ami's shoulder causing the intern to swivel her head around. She turned so fast her blue locks had slapped against her cheek. Ami gasped when she saw a figure standing about fifty feet away. It was a man wearing a ball cap, keeping his face covered in shadows. A gun was held out in front of him, the barrel aimed at her. It was the book reader from inside the coffee shop.

Ami couldn't believe it. They had walked straight into it after all the warnings. Supernatural gifts were one thing, but guns were another. She had been foolish to overlook the idea of guns.

The book reader pushed his cap back a little and let the faint light wash over his bruised face. Ami gasped, "Jedite?"

The blonde man grinned maliciously at her as he adjusted his grip on his gun. "You should have killed me back there."

Ami stared at him incredulously.

"There's no way you can be here," she exclaimed. "We left directly from your house. You were unconscious! How could you have gotten here so fast?"

He gave her hollow chuckle, making her blood run cold, "We all have our little secrets. Don't you agree, Ami?"

"Stop playing around, Jedite," the other man commanded harshly. His heavy footfalls cause Ami to remember where she was. Silently, she eyed the white haired man through the corner of her eye and gauged the distance between them.

Jed frowned. He hated it when his partner gave him lip. "Shut up, Malachite."

That was all the time she needed for his eyes to shift off of her. She saw the gun's aim veer away by inches and she took her chance. Ami hastily switched gears. She flung out her arms and inwardly screamed for every ounce of water to come to her aide. The air exploded with the sound of ice cracking, causing both men to stiffen. The man called Malachite rushed forward, "Jedite, you fool!"

The water on the ground rushed together, freezing easily together in a short blink. Several spears of ice shot towards the man. Malachite barely had time to throw himself to the ground before the deadly weapons decapitated him. Jedite hastily charged next, but Ami whipped her arm around. The snowflakes jumped right off the concrete like an ocean spray and solidified into new flying spears without losing speed. Jed was able to dodge a few, but one of them scrapped his side. Blood spurt from the gash, filling the white spray with red.

"Ami!"

She turned back around and shot a blast of snowy wind into Malachite's face as he reached for her. Howling, he grabbed his face.

"Hurry, Serena!" Ami called out. "Get me out of this concrete!"

The blonde nodded. Gritting her teeth against the pain of lifting her arm, Serena formed another ball of gold light in her hand. It pulsed against her skin. She squinted and carefully aimed for the concrete wrapped around her friend's ankles. It was going to be a close shot. She could easily shoot off her friend's foot if she didn't aim properly. She slowly wrapped her fingers over the ball of light. Heat rushed through the joints of her hand and she pointed her index fingers at the nurse's ankles like a gun. A sharp beam of gold discharged from her fingertip and raced over the concrete. It passed by Malachite's feet and pierced through the edge of the concrete locked around Ami's left foot. The cuff crumbled into ragged chunks, taking the right cuff with it.

Freed, Ami stumbled several feet forward before she raced over to Serena. She frantically knelt beside her and studied her friend's strikingly pale face. Serena winced, "I promised it looks worse than it feels."

Ami felt sick when she saw the blood soaking into Serena's dark coat. The wound was serious. Too much blood was pumping out onto the ground. Fearfully, Ami glanced up and saw the men beginning to regroup. She bit down her lower lip and looked back down at her friend. Serena's eyes were screwed shut in pain.

"Can you move?" Ami rushed.

Keeping her eyes closed, Serena nodded, "Yea, I think so."

Ami frantically pushed her arm under her friend's shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position. Wrapping Serena's good arm around her, Ami helped the injured woman to her feet, "Lean on me."

"Ok-kay," Serena hissed painfully. Since the men were blocking that end of the alley, together the two girls began to slowly walk back the way they had come. Ami prayed the alleyway opened on the other end. She groaned lightly as Serena's legs buckled and her weight threatened to take them both down. Ami tightened her hold on her and pushed her shoulder deeper beneath the blonde woman. She heard the men's feet quickening.

Ami hastily reached out for the snow again. The frozen water rushed upwards along the walls and spread across the empty expansion, forming a thick wall between the men and the girls. It was bit sloppy since she was exhausted, but it was enough to slow their attackers. She forced her feet to go faster.

The back door to the coffee shop came into view. Ami hastened over and tugged on the handle. She nearly sobbed in despair when it refused to open. As she had guessed, it was locked. She cursed and continued down the alley. Gunshots thundered behind her, followed by a shattering noise. Ami wished she had some hidden strength to add to her slow feet.

"Ami," Serena moaned weakly in her ear. "It h-hurts…"

"Shhh," Ami whispered. Her eyes scanned the heavy darkness for somewhere to hide. "It will be okay. I promise."

The weight on her shoulder increased and Ami was forced to stopped and readjust. How had Serena gained so much weight for such a tiny figure?

Ami forced another wall of ice to form behind them. Sadly, the second barricade was half the width of the first and jagged near the top. She didn't have the extra energy to make a wall, support another person's weight, and run all at the same time. It was too much for such a petite woman. The wall had barely settled into place when Jedite fired his gun again and broke through. One of the bullets glanced off the wall, scrapping sparks. The small bit of light was enough to show Ami that she had reached a dead end.

"Crap," she mumbled, looking at the high wall. _'There's no way I can climb that with her.'_

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the men closing in. Her only hope was to fight them. Ami carefully knelt and placed Serena onto the ground. As she laid down her head, Serena blinked up at her with blurry eyes.

"Ami…" she reached out for her.

The nurse turned away and took a defensive stance against the men. The snow at her feet shivered with anticipation. Jed quickly lifted his gun, "Don't even."

"Sure," she mumbled, whipping up her hand. He fired and Malachite yelled loudly in protest. It didn't matter. She had thrown a large slab of ice at the gun, knocking the bullet off course by a few feet. It made a heavy dent in the wall behind her. She grinned in triumphant.

Malachite glared at his partner before leveling a deadly look on her. His hand lifted and the woman realized she had lost the fight. She couldn't keep dodging the ground attacks. Sooner or later, he would catch her again. Even so, she jumped as the concrete beneath her shifted. The ice flew over her arm like tiny fireflies, encasing her hand in a brittle glove. Maybe if she knocked him out, she could gain some ground. She threw her arm forward and aimed for his face.

Unfortunately, several bands of concrete surged up and wrapped around her limbs. Her fist was stopped far out of reach of his smirking face. She was hanging in midair with her legs stretched backwards and her chest hanging several yards over the ground.

"Crap!" she snapped, tugging at her constraints. They were solid once more and proved to be less than breakable. He had set her up perfectly. Malachite stepped forward and brought his face inches from hers. Her heart dropped with revulsion at how quickly she had been subdued. She had barely gotten a chance to fight.

"You lose," he stated darkly. She glared back at him as he studied her with cold indifference. Even up close, he looked more and more like the man from her dreams. "You will always lose."

She blinked. Something about his voice curled around does words made her confuse. "What?"

"Malachite!"

Abruptly, there was a flash of white light, engulfing her vision. Ami thought for a split second a bomb had gone off, but there was no sound. An eerie silence filled her ears and all there was to see was impenetrable white wrapping around her. She tried to speak, but even her voice couldn't reach her ears. She could feel the muscles in her face working. She was definitely opening her mouth. Then, just as abruptly as the light had swallowed up the alleyway, it fell away.

Her eyes soon found the white figure standing between her and the two generals. It was another man with pure white hair. He was wearing a casual gray jacket and standing there without a visible care in the world. She couldn't say anything as his warm, blue eyes smiled up at her. Ami was only faintly aware of the generals whirling on the new presence. The man didn't seem to notice them.

He simply reached forward and placed his hand lightly over her exposed wrist. His touch was hot like burning iron, but it didn't burn. She tried to ask him what he was doing there in the alley, but before she could open her mouth she found herself no longer in the alleyway. Instead, she was standing several feet away from the jeep. Ami stood there soaking up her new location with astonishment. The same man was standing beside, cradling a barely conscious Serena.

The blonde lifted her chin to get a better look at the man. Her blue eyes carefully focused on his blurry face, "Are you Luna's friend?"

"Yes, and it appears I should have arrived earlier than planned" he replied gently as he strode over to the side door.

He calmly opened the door, causing the girls inside to jump. They had all been trying to catch a look what was going on in the coffee house, pass the outside walkers. Their brains quickly shut down when they saw a white haired man clutching a bloody Serena to his chest. Rei, being the first to get over her shock, leaned out the door in a panic. "What happened?"

"No time," the man instructed with a hard tone. He gently pushed Rei back inside and settled into the window seat. "We need to get out of here."

Ami hardly wanted to dismiss their teleportation out of the alley, but she knew the man was right. Malachite and Jedite would be streaking out of the coffee shop at any moment. She raced around vehicle and wrenched opened the other back passenger door. With her feet only halfway into the jeep, she yelled, "Get us out of here, Lita!"

The brunette held back her questions and shifted the car into 'reverse.' She rammed her foot hard on the gas and peeled out of her parking spot without even checking for other cars. Mina screeched when they barely missed a Mustang backing out its own parking spot. Lita ignored the man in the Ford that was loudly cursing her and sped out of the row of vehicles. Burning tire marks into the concrete, she swerved out onto the main road.

"Talk," Lita demanded from the driver's seat. "What just happened? You guys were barely in there for ten minutes."

Ami looked over at the man sitting calmly beside her. She studied his features carefully, searching for something she could have overlooked. She didn't recognize him from anywhere. His eyes turned to her, watching her. They sat for several minutes just taking in each other.

"I would like to know what happened, too," she whispered.

There was something in the way he was looking at her like he knew something and was surprised she didn't know it as well. She shook her head at him.

"First, we need to get to my house," he said to the jeep's occupants as he leaned back in his seat. His faced turned away from her. "This girl needs tending. Once that's done, we can talk."

Rei frowned as she looked at Serena's strained face, "Whatever. How far is your house?"

"Not far," he replied as he pressed his hand against the girl's bullet wound. Serena whimpered and everyone grew very quiet. "Keep heading down this road. We're going in the wrong direction, but I don't want to chance making a u-turn and catching those men's attention."

"Men?" Lita asked, "Was the NVerse guys there?"

Ami nodded wearily, "Yea. Jedite was there, too."

"Jed?" Mina rose in her seat. "What happened to him?"

Ami saw the concern in her roommate's eyes and held back the comment about him shooting Serena in the shoulder. Bad guy or not, he was a close cousin's of Mina. It was only naturally for the woman to feel somewhat concern for him. Sighing deeply, Ami said, "He was fine when we left him."

She turned her face aside and stared out the window. The remainder of the ride to the man's house was done in silence. No one wanted to disturb the sleeping woman nor could anyone find anything to say in the suddenly tense air. Their minds were all racing with uncertainty and fear over what had just happened and what would soon come.

* * *

.. 

_"Do you remember the first time we met?"_

_"I remember the first day you were in the throne room," she replied with a small chuckle. "You looked so out place."_

_"That's not true!" Ami squeaked with a small blush. "I was j-just nervous about meeting your mother for the first time."_

_"Maybe so, but you still acted as if you were another noble in a meeting," Serena giggled lightly._

_Ami frowned, "I am a noble."_

_"But you were barely five. You acted as if you were twenty. You were straight back and had that calm expression on your face. It was so strange."_

_"Is that why you came up to me skipping? Because you thought my face was too serious?"_

_Serena smiled, "Yea, you looked like you never had any fun."_

_Ami looked up at the vast training yard. Lita and Rei were dueling with the Outers standing nearby giving close instruction. The blue-haired princess thought back to her earlier days before she had met the collection of women. Her heart squeezed at the empty ache that brushed her heart. _

_"Well, I can't help it if I was all alone in a castle. I'm their only daughter. You at least had a brother to tease, but I'm the sole heir to the House of Mercury. My father was very strict in my court training."_

_"Ami…" her friend whispered gently. Her blue eyes scanned over the yard before she waved her arm out towards it. Ami unconsciously followed the movement. "This might be our destiny. We can't change the duty of being a soldier for the heavenly houses of the Millennium Kingdom, but first and foremost, we are women with passion and wants. We must stay true to who we are if we are to be good protectors."_

_Ami turned, "I… don't understand."_

_The blonde exhaled softly and brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes, "I love you, Ami. I truly do, but every since the Circle of the Senshi's has been completed you keep…"_

_Her voice trailed off as she felt guilty for speaking up. It wasn't Ami's fault. She just wanted to do a good job. Ami was so afraid of failing. _

_"Serena?"_

_Her shoulders dropped lower, "It's like you keep putting on that front back in the throne room. You keep pretending that you're indestructible. As if you have no other part to whom you are besides the Senshi."_

_"I still don't see what you're getting at—" _

_"Where's the girl that use to laugh at my jokes?" Serena burst out quietly. She latched onto the other woman's wrist. Ami looked away. "Where is the girl who loved to read for her entertainment, not do constant research over the courts and kingdoms?"_

_"I—"_

_"You spend every waking moment dedicated to the Senshi. You never take a break."_

_"I can't," Ami hissed beneath her breath. Her blue eyes looked towards the leader of the Outers. Amara was shouted at Lita about one of the girl's failed attacks. Serena followed the direction of her eyes. The blonde princess stiffened. _

_"Did Lady Amara say something to you?" Serena rushed out. She tightened her hold on her friend's wrist when she didn't respond. "Ami? What did she tell you?"_

_Ami's heart squeezed, "She doesn't think I should be here. She thinks someone else s-should be the one…"_

_"Ami…"_

_"I don't know what else to do," she confessed lowly as her eyes darted to the ground. "I don't know what I would do if I was sent back to Mercury. There was nothing there when I left, except my parents, and nothing changed since then. I feel like I belong right here…on the moon, but at the same time, something doesn't feel right."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I keep thinking there was suppose to be more. There something still missing."_

_"Missing?"_

_"Then, I get worried about failing. Failing you, the girls, the Senshi, the entire kingdom. I get scared and so I work harder."_

_"Don't listen to Amara. She's—"_

_"It's not just her," Ami interrupted, her heart lodging in her throat. She looked back over at Michelle and Trista conversing on the edge of the training circle Lita and Rei occupied. "I heard the rest of the Outers talking about me, too. They're worried about me."_

_Serena's eyes grew sad, "But I don't get it. You're the most dedicated of all of us. You work hard. What more do they want?"_

_Ami shook her head, "It's not about effort. It's about results. Look at all five of us, Serena. Out of us, I am the weakest link of this circle."_

_"Ami, don't say that."_

_"I am," she insisted a little louder. "I'm not as fast as Lita. I'm not as destructive as Rei. I am not a strong leader as Mina. And I'm definitely not as powerful as you."_

_Her face lowered in shame, "They already know I'm no good to the Circle."_

_Serena couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had guessed her friend was having doubts, but not to this extreme. Couldn't she see she was important to them? Couldn't she see how she and the girls needed her as much as she needed them? _

_"Ami, you—"_

_"Ami! Serena!" Amara suddenly shouted, startling the girls. Looking up they saw Lita and Rei exiting the training circle. The leader of the Outers was scowling in the two sitting princesses with one of her trademark glares. "Get off your butts and get in gear! It's your turn."_

_Before Serena could say something, Ami's wrist slipped from her grasp. The blue-haired senshi silently strode forward. Lita and Rei glanced at her as she passed, but she didn't offer any explanation for her blank expression. Together they glanced pass her at Serena. The blonde watched her with overwhelming heartache. _

_"Serena!" Amara repeated louder. _

_The princess rolled her eyes and jogged over the white circle in the grass. _

* * *

..

Ami blinked rapidly and refocused on the window sill. Slowly, she lifted her head and realized she had accidentally dozed off. She quietly straightened in the backseat. The jeep was as silent as when she had fallen asleep. Lita was still driving (like a maniac) and Rei was trying to fruitless get comfortable enough to keep a few minutes of sleep. Unfortunately, the priestess was having trouble dealing with how cold the window felt against her warm cheek. Mina was giving odd glances through the rearview mirror towards the man in the backseat.

Ami glanced at him through the corner of her eye. Her dream was heavy on her mind as she studied him. There had to be connections in this entire mess. Her dreams couldn't just be dreams and this man couldn't just be _some man_. There was more to it. That's what his eyes said.

His eyes were telling her that he understood what was happening. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she wasn't ready for the girls to hear them. She didn't want to talk about her dreams or her blonde rescuer in front of them because it felt too personal. She didn't understand why that was since her and the girls told each other everything, but for right now, her voice couldn't find the courage to speak.

But this man sitting to her didn't look familiar like Malachite or Zoisite had from her dreams. Was there something in that as well?

The white haired man suddenly looked to her and Ami jumped in her seat. She hadn't expected him to catch her staring. He smiled whimsically and leaned closer.

"I know you're very confused," he whispered so low she could barely hear. "I see it in your eyes."

Ami's heart sped up.

"Do you know what is happening to me?" she blurted out beneath her breath. Her eyes fixed on his warm blue ones. He searched deep in her eyes and his smile dropped slightly.

"I wish I could end your waiting, but I am not the one to tell this tale," he replied, his tone full of apology. "But I promise very soon, you will know all that we know."

"We?" the blue-haired nurse questioned.

The man pulled back and looked out the front windshield. "Please, turn left at this stop sign, Lita."

The brunette nodded and the car shifted. Ami's face whirled towards her window and saw the row of comfy houses they were passing. They were almost there.

"This house here. The little yellow one. Turn into the drive way."

Again the car shifted and then pulled to a stop. The girls lifted in their seats, eyes on the house that was obviously occupied from the way the lights were shining behind the drawn curtains in the windows. Together they silently piled out of the vehicle. The white haired man carefully carried the semi-unconscious blonde towards the front door of the waiting house. Ami was the first of the girls to follow and drew up alongside him as they walked down the modest cobblestone path. Before they even reached the porch, the front door pulled open and light spilt out across the shadowy lawn.

The girls froze as they stared at the woman standing in the doorway. She was quite beautiful with the most luscious purple curls they had ever seen. Her dark hair was pulled into two cute buns much like Serena wore, except instead of putting her hair in pigtails, she let her long locks spill down freely in one vast waterfall of deep violet. Her hair was seemed even darker when it spread down against her sun yellow vest, white long sleeve undershirt, and light blue jeans. She smiled warmly as she petted the small gray kitten in her arms. The woman had one of the sweetest smiles.

"Welcome, ladies," she greeted with a strong voice. She pushed the door opened wider. "My name is Luna."

* * *

A/N: Finally! I couldn't wait to put in that last chunk about Luna's appearance! I know a lot of you were eagerly waiting as well. Don't worry. A lot will be explained in the next chapter, including Ami's dreams and Zoi involvement. 

I know some of you are confused with Jed's reappearance. Was that really Jed? Yes. Is he still evil? Duh. Well, then what did Zoi do when he put that stone in Jed's chest? Hmm, wait and find out in the next chapter. Hehehehe. Maybe I am evil/


	14. The Breathe Before the Plunge

A/N: Another hard chapter to write. I kept pushing to get to the end. Next time I'm getting a crowbar to knock down that writer's block.

* * *

Snowflakes

By angelwings1

* * *

.. 

Chapter 14: The Breathe Before the Plunge

* * *

When they entered the living room, Ami was not the only one surprised to see a waiting circle of mugs on the coffee table. The girls stood nervously in the archway between the hall and the sitting room. They were still on edge from what happened back at the coffee house and even though the house was full of inviting colors and furniture, they stared at the sky blue décor with suspicion. The white haired man ignored the collection of rigid figures and walked calmly inside to the nearest couch. Luna gasped when Serena's pale face passed her.

"Artemis, what happened?" she yelped, rushing after him. Once he laid Serena in a comfortable position across the flower pattern couch, the dark haired woman pushed him aside to inspect the bloody jacket he had wrapped over the girl's shoulder. The little gray kitten she had been holding scurried onto the blonde woman's collar and began to lick her face. The woman tugged lightly on the crusty clothe and inhaled sharply when she saw the bullet wound. "They were there?"

The man called Artemis nodded, "It was two generals."

Luna withdrew her hands with a frown, "Malachite was there. Wasn't he?"

Ami stood a little taller when she realized the woman had specifically known the general. Luna sighed when she saw the white haired man nod again. "So they were able to track the text message."

She sighed and gradually stood up. Her eyes softened when she turned to her husband. Momentarily forgetting about her guests, the dark haired hostess stepped closer to the white haired man and began to whisper in a low voice. From the way she was pulling up his sleeves and scanning his chest, Ami suspected that the woman was searching the man for injuries. Artemis gently pushed away her insistent hands and swept his palm up to cup her cheek. He said something as he waved towards the woman on the couch. Luna gave a small nod, "Yes, we'll wait till he gets back. She'll be fine until then."

The girls went rigid again when the dark haired hostess spun on her heel and faced them with a broad smile. "Please, don't be afraid. Come and sit."

She whipped her arms out to the waiting dining room chairs she had obviously pulled out of the other room. "I made some coffee. Although, I understand if you already had some at the coffee house."

Her small laugh immediately got the girls to relax. Ami didn't know what her girlfriends were thinking, but the woman's sweet demeanor and affectionate voice immediately got her to thinking of her mother. The thought quickly brought tears to her eyes, forcing the woman to blink them back. Inhaling deeply, Ami forced herself to walk further into the living area. Luna's face brightened when she saw her move.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Luna," Ami stated with a faintly hoarse voice. The hostess eagerly grabbed the intern's elbow and pulled her to the nearest chair.

"Oh, please! Please, sit!" Luna pushed her into the recliner. Her eyes glowed with excitement down at the intern. "I've been waiting so long! I thought you would never get here!"

"It's only been a few hours, dear," Artemis chided jokingly.

Luna rolled her eyes with exasperation. She pressed her fist into her hip and glared at the man. "You know that wasn't what I was talking about."

The intern smiled at how the pair playfully scolded each other. She had never seen such affectionate canter between her parents. At least that's not what she remembered.

The hostess gave her husband a secretive smile and raced back over to the other waiting women. She began to ceremoniously begin to put each in a respected seat, gushing over them as she offered steaming mugs of coffee. As she flew around the room, her husband slipped onto the armrest of the couch. Ami attentively noticed the man pulled out a cell phone and begin punching buttons. Her eyes narrowed. After a moment, he returned his phone to his pocket and glanced over the room, catching sight of her staring. He offered her a small smile.

"Now, that we are settled, we can talk!" Luna clapped her hands together, startling the nurse. Ami brought her attention back to their hostess and watched her drop with avid excitement into the last seat, a roller desk chair.

"Shouldn't we do something about the bullet?" Ami asked, staring down at her friend's grimacing face. "I'm a nurse."

"Don't worry," Luna waved it off with a shake of her head. "She's fine for now. Let her rest while we wait for our associate to arrive."

"Associate?" Mina frowned.

Luna replied, "He has better experience with this sort of thing."

_'Better experience than a nurse intern?'_

The tension immediately rose. Ami could feel it all the way down to the muscles beneath her toenails. The motherly look that she had held before disappeared as Luna face became hard. Her eyes scanned the girls briefly before she intertwined her hands in her lap. "I know you are full of questions. I wish we could wait for your friend to wake up, but we have no idea how long we have. We will have to fill her in later."

She exhaled deeply, "So let's hurry and get started. I think the best way to find out where we all are is to allow you to ask questions. Afterwards…"

She shrugged, "We will explain everything else."

"Huh?" Mina stated a little stupidly.

Seeing the exact expression of uncertainty on her friends' faces, Ami decided to take the opportunity to voice all the questions that had building between them. First things were first. "How did you know about us?"

Luna laughed lightly, "That's a very loaded question, but it would be unfair to leave it unanswered. To understand my answer, however, you must first tell me how much you know about the Silver Millennium Kingdom."

Ami looked to the others, who gave her small nods. She turned back around. "It's deals with the religion of the Senshi. We know that the Silver Millennium was a kingdom of the heavens ruled by the protector of some special crystal known as the Silver Crystal. It supposed to be the _key_ to the kingdom's powers. The crystal was protected by the ruler of the kingdom and there was something about a Moon Princess. There were also a group of bodyguards for the princess called the Senshi. That's the short version."

Luna nodded, "You know a small portion. To set matters straight, however, the Senshi is not a religion. It is real."

Ami was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Luna leveled a steady gaze with the intern. She knew instantly from looking at her eyes that she had shaken the petite nurse's foundation. She saw the calculations all crashing and the shock beginning to take over her.

"The Silver Millennium's reign happened a long time ago," she replied. "Perhaps, it happened millions of centuries ago. I do not know. I _do _know is that the Silver Millennium was a glorious kingdom of the Heavenly Planets and in one dark battle the kingdom, along with the eight houses of the solar system, fell to ruins."

"But how could you know that?" Lita jumped in, gripping the armrests of her seat.

Violet eyes shifted, "Because I was there."

Silence.

"_There?"_Rei stared at her as if she had said the grass was black. "What do you mean?"

"My husband and I were personal advisors of the throne," she replied smoothly. Her face showed no hint of playfulness or distrust. If Ami had thought she had been in the twilight zone back when she had been in Zoisite's apartment, than she had dropped off the map with what she was hearing at the present moment. Surely, it was all a joke.

"Uh…"

"We know this is hard to believe," Artemis added gently. "Even though you are direct descendants of the Heavenly Houses, your memory have not carried to this life line."

"Descendants?"

"Memory?"

"Life line?"

Luna sunk deeper into her seat. This was going to take hours. "Whether you are religious or not, I can only explain any of this through the concept of reincarnation. You are not merely descendants of a long bloodline that my husband has muddled in explaining. You are the Senshi, the protectors of the Millennium Kingdom."

They looked to one another, flabbergasted. They thought when they met Luna a lot would be explained, but never truly, honestly consider the magnitude of what be told to them. Mina silently touched her forehead, remembering the symbol that had previously burned across it. Ami sat, shocked still in her chair. Lita swiveled in her seat, "B-But what does…Or why don't we remember any of this, if we are what you say."

"Reincarnation shouldn't include memories," Rei explained, causing the others to swap their attention to her. Rei was from a Shinto Shrine who believed in reincarnation. It was only naturally she would understand such a concept. "Reincarnation deals with the soul. When a person is reincarnated, they are given new life, not memories of the old life."

"But then why do you remember?" Mina pointed towards their host. "Are you not a reincarnation of the…um…royal advisors?"

"No," Luna admitted somberly. "Artemis and I have never experienced death. When the kingdom fell, the queen had enough time to seal our bodies in time pockets. She sent us to the future to reawaken the reincarnated souls of the Senshi."

"Reawaken? Why?"

"Because of the Negaverse," Ami mumbled, eyes growing distant.

"Because of the great darkness that destroyed the kingdom," Luna replied, never having heard Ami's soft comment. "When the kingdom was destroyed, the Queen only had a matter of moments to save the universe from being totally swallowed by the Negaverse. She sealed away the darkness and prayed that the Senshi would be reawakened and renewed to fight the evil again."

"This is a load of crap," Lita grumbled. "This can't be real."

"It is as real as the sparks that ignite from your fingertips," Luna commented with edge. The brunette dropped her hands into the folds of her jacket. The violet haired woman shook her head. "We know this is hard—"

"That's an understatement," Mina muttered.

"But you cannot deny there is something you are all missing in your lives."

Ami looked away. Her dreams and her childhood raced through her head. She had always believed she had been destined for more than a freak show. Sadly, it had always been possible her gift was a mutation of genetics. She squeezed her eyes closed when she thought back to time she covered her bedroom in ice.

"There is an easy way to prove this," Artemis abruptly spoke from his far seat across the room. The girls watched with uneasiness as he stood. He walked to the closest girl, Mina, and reached for her. The young woman didn't know what to think as his fingers stretched towards her. Ami pushed to the edge of her seat, half-knowing what was about to transpire. Warmth spread through the brunette's forehead as the pads of the man's fingertips grazed the skin. Mina opened her mouth to speak, but the ache through her skull stopped her voice. Steadily, an emerald glow swam through the silent room. Eyes grew wide and mouths hung open. Mina could guess what was happening from the way they were all staring at her. No one could say anything against the symbol burning gold across the blonde's brow. "You may have forgotten your past lives, but your souls have not."

Mina mutely brought her hand up to her forehead. The heat flushed against her fingertips before the symbol faded.

"But to get back to your question," Luna interceded. "How do we know of you? When we woke from our frozen status, we remembered our duty to the throne and began to search you all out. It took us some time to acquaint ourselves with the time's new culture, but we were able to slip in without raising any suspicion. We were very lucky in our search. Our souls were spiritual connected to each of you so we were able to follow the binding and eventually closed in on your location. Otherwise, we don't know how we would have found you. It's a big planet."

"Spiritual connection?" Ami voiced unevenly.

"Spiritual connection is something that even our time period thought was farce," Artemis laughed. His blue eyes danced as he gushed with pride. He would have loved to show the nonbelievers of his time as he had effectively returned to the Senshi. "What a spiritual connection is believed to be is a link created between close individuals in previous lives. It is believed to be a bond so strong that it goes beyond death and pass through lifelines. It reunites souls as they leapfrog through time. People believed that no matter how their soul is reborn a strong spiritual connection would always reunite two souls again."

Reuniting souls.

The idea was so surreal and made her heart constrict. His face immediately came to Ami's mulling thoughts. All those times when they had run into each other (the alley, the club, and the NVerse's labs) it had been so strange. He had acted like he had known her in a personal matter and he hadn't explained how he had been able to find her.

Was it possible?

She remembered the last page in Zoisite's journal: _**I'll find you, my beloved.**_

It was a twisted theory, but it fit perfectly in her mind. The Moon Princess fell in love with the Prince of Earth. He could be the last confirmation to her sacred identity. Maybe…

"Perhaps it would be better if we just started from the beginning, love," Luna declared. Her husband shrugged, uncaring who told the long tale. She smiled brilliantly, excited to be given back the floor. She was like a kid in a candy store.

"We should begin with the Silver Millennium Kingdom. We will start when it was the number one power in the solar system and was quickly gaining strength by adding the Heavenly Houses of the neighboring planets under its reign. The Moon became the capitol of the kingdom and the houses were like states of government. The only kingdom that did not immediately bend a knee to the Silver Millennium was Earth, the second great power of the solar system.

"At this time, there was no ill will between the two powers. Both kingdoms were commanded under strong rulers. It was only the itch of fear that brought friction between the kingdoms. Though the two rulers harmonized, it was feared that either of the rulers passing would leave their kingdom vulnerable to being swept up by the other royal.

"Their fear one day finally took hold of the stars as Queen Serenity reached her seventy-first birthday. With Queen Serenity, the ruler of the Millennium Kingdom, reaching the end of her years, it became a great concern that Earth would take over. If Earth took the chance to overtake the throne after her death, it would likely rip apart the Heavenly Houses.

"The Silver Millennium was more than a kingdom. It was a protection chosen by fate against unspoken evil. The Heavenly Houses believed in this so greatly that they would openly refuse a man of Earth to take over such an important position. Only destiny chose the next person to take the Silver throne. That person in waiting was called the Moon Princess.

"The Moon Princess was considered to be the strongest being in the solar system. She was chosen by fate to protect an entire universe and was giving the responsibility of being war princess (the general as it were of the kingdom's army) if a battle should ever arise. She was to be heavily trained in combat and protected by personal bodyguards. Also, most importantly, she was the inheritor of the Silver Millennium's greatest weapon and treasure, the Silver Crystal."

Ami was growing every distant with the story. The little pieces of her dreams began to fall onto the floor, fitting together like puzzle pieces. _'The crystal…'_

"The Silver Crystal is special crystal with the ability to concentrate and amplify an individual's powers. I don't know the exact number, but it was believed to multiple a person's power to ten to the power of twenty thousand."

_Ten to the power of twenty thousand is…too much…_

"Well to get back to the story, it was shortly after the Queen's birthday that the Oracle, one of the royal bodyguards, announced she had found the next Moon Princess. It was a frightening day for it marked the beginning of turbulence between the two kingdoms. Queen Serenity feared the young girl would immediately be targeted by, if not be Earth, than by outside kingdoms of the solar system. It was thus decided that it was time to employee personal bodyguards for the girl.

"Royal bodyguards of the Millennium kingdom were called Senshi. They were women also chosen by the hand of destiny. When the Moon Princess was found, there were already four Senshi soldiers assigned to the protection of the throne. Queen Serenity thought, however, it was prudent to assign new Senshi to the princess. Those new soldiers would be called the Circle of Senshi who would be close to the princess while the experienced Senshi would be called the Outers and hold authority over the Circle while they protected the Queen.

"It was harsh life for the princess and her bodyguards. They were all young teenagers of royal houses, meant for something less brutal. Even so, they accepted their duties and in secret began to train away from the eyes of the universe.

"As the Moon Princess grew older, Queen Serenity and the Oracle were becoming anxious of an impending war. It would only be a matter of time before someone caught wind of the new heir and would be anxious to attack before she was fully trained.

"Even with Oracle foresight, a surprise happened. Earth decided to speak about a special alliance with the Moon Kingdom. It was a great relief to the Heavenly Houses though a shock as well. For a time, it was believed to be a rues and the Moon Princess had been discovered. It was a shock to everyone when it was announced in the secrecy of the Earth's throne room that the Moon Princess and Prince of Earth had fallen in love.

"Supposedly, when Queen Serenity had traveled to visit Earth with the unannounced Moon Princess, the prince had taken an immediate fancy to the princess. The two young royals had begun to see each other through whatever means they could find. If the generals were sent to visit the Moon Kingdom, the prince would immediately join the convoy for educational study of foreign relations. The princess would do the same if her queen visited Earth. Then there was concealed communications across the stars and more than once secret visits. The affair had quickly blossomed into a very passionate romance, and soon the two were secretly engaged.

"It was a great joy to hear the kingdoms would merge smoothly together through the love of the younger generation. It could not have been a better solution to the ever mounting tension. Unfortunately, when the union was publicized and the princess's true identity was announced to the heavens, an outside kingdom known as the Negaverse swelled with hunger. They decided it was the perfect time to nourish the fear in the hearts of the kingdoms and find a way to tear down the royals to reach the Silver Crystal. They did through their leading lady and tainting the hearts of Earth's Generals."

_Generals…_

"A rebellion was formed months before the marriage. With the help of the Negaverse's army, the moon was assaulted with the Generals leading the way. The Senshi were taken by surprise and murdered by their trusted allies. When the last bodyguard fell, the princess and prince were driven backwards into the throne room and murdered at the foot of the queen.

"As the dark forces tightened around her, the queen made a final attempt to save her kingdom and the universe. Using the Silver Crystal as a focal of her immense powers, Queen Serenity sealed away the dark powers of the Negaverse and destroyed most of the dark army. In doing so, she sadly spent the entire volume of her soul's power and was condemned to never be reborn. With her last breath, she sent her two most trusted advisors to the future to awake the souls of all the Senshi and the Moon Princess. Queen Serenity knew the seal on the Negaverse would one day break and she prayed the Senshi would be reawaken before the Negaverse could swallow up the universe.

"The only problem with sealing us, her advisors, in time pockets was that Queen Serenity was unable to make proper seals. We were jostled much in the time stream and most of our memories were lost, or hopefully suppressed. When we woke up, it took us many years to piece the little we know at present. It took even longer for us to remember that you all were reborn and we were responsible for finding each of you."

"We were very lucky," Artemis whispered with a weary tone. "You had already begun to group together, drawn by your spiritual connections."

"So you followed this spiritual connection to find us," Lita stated proudly, happy to understand the complex story. "I totally get it now."

Luna laughed lightly at the girl's childlike triumphant. "Yes, we found Serena first when she was barely a preteen."

A dawning came over Ami. "Preteen? Was that around the time I met Serena?"

A mischievous smile curled up the hostess's face. She glanced towards her husband before casually saying, "I think it's time you met our daughter."

"Daughter?"

Luna's grin widened, "Diana, please greet our guest."

The girls' attention quickly jumped up to the living room entrance, expecting a small child to jump out. Only an empty doorway met them. They frowned when the shy child refused to appear.

"I am very happy to meet you all, Senshi and Moon Princess."

The tiny bell-like voice startled the girls. The child had sounded very close, but they hadn't seen her when they had entered the living room. They quickly scanned the room for her hiding spot, curious to see the cute-sounding child.

"I'm over here."

Their eyes slowly drifted back to the couch, confusion beginning to sink into their brains. They inhaled sharply when they saw the little gray kitten from earlier, waving a small paw in their direction. For a heartbeat, no one was able to speak. All they could do was focus their wide eyes on the tiny furball and watch as she _giggled_. Actually giggle! Ami's mouth went dry when she heard how _human_ the giggle sounded. There was no way to excuse the giggle as a hairball caught in the kitten's throat.

"I told you, Mommy. I knew I could freak them out." The little gray kitten bounced on top of Serena's shoulder, ecstatic with their reaction. She gave a small hop and nearly slipped right off the unconscious blonde shoulder. She fearfully squeaked as she tumbled forward and landed in her father's waiting hand. Artemis gave her a scolding gaze, but the little kitten gave a wide smile that cats shouldn't be able to pull.

"Thanks, daddy!" she chirped before racing up his arm to perch on his shoulder.

Ami watch the little kitten's pink mouth form the syllables with ease. Diana barely acknowledged the difficult of her feat. She was more amused with the way the girls' eyes were bugging out. Pressing her tiny paws to her face in mock laughter, the little kitten held the perfect Kodak moment.

Lita didn't find the moment cute. She, instead, was growing a little green in the face. The whole situation was too disturbing for her body to handle. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Seeing the discolor in the woman's face, Luna grimaced. "Diana, please change."

The little kitten stuck out her bottom lip and widened her watery eyes, "But mom—"

"Hurry, Diana," Artemis instructed sharply.

The kitten rolled her eyes, looking much like the child her voice sounded to be.

"Okay," she whined. Immediately, her hair began to lengthen and her limbs stretch forward as she jumped off her father's shoulder and into the air. Joints shifted and fangs receded. Her back feet swung forward as she reared back her head. In mid toss, the hair at the top of her head stretched out several feet in a blink. Her silver hair slapped around her cheeks and revealed round, pink ears around a smiling, human face. When her feet hit the ground, the rest of her coat blended together to create a white and pink jumper with pale, scrawny legs peeking out from beneath. She straightened and posed like any other cute, adorable third grader with her hands twisting in the hem of her clothes.

"Oh my…"

"Crap."

"Interesting," Ami whispered, her mind trying to replay the split-second transformation. She shook her head with exasperation. "Are you all three… er… metamorphs?"

Artemis grinned, "Yes."

The intern studied the small child for a hint of feline attributes. Diana smiled with flat incisors. She didn't even have cat-like eyes. If Ami had passed her at an elementary school, she would have never guessed her to be a metamorph.

Ami froze when her eyes drifted north of the girl's gray eyes. There burnt into her brow was a sunflower yellow crescent moon. It was partly covered by her silver bangs, but it was hard once Ami had spotted the symbol to tear away her eyes.

"T-That mark…" Ami whispered, her mouth going dry. She had seen that mark before, a long time ago. _'How…'_

Diana brushed back her bangs to offer a better view. "Yea, this is the Moon Kingdom's symbol. It marks us as being close to who keeps the throne."

Ami shifted towards Luna with her mouth wide open. The hostess knew what the nurse's expression meant. The girl had figured it out.

"Yes, Ami. I was Serena's cat when she was younger."

The other girls looked towards the intern. They had never heard of Serena's cat. When they had moved into the small house years ago, they weren't allowed pets. Serena had grudgingly left her cat to the care of her mother and younger brother. So the girls had never seen the strange crescent moon on the black cat's brow. Then, a few years back Serena's cat had run away.

The girls watched Ami study the hostess. The intern's eyes drifted over the woman's features, following the line of her neck all the way up to the round shell of her ear. Her face was as innocent as the small child's. Luna toddled her head from side to side as if to say '_I know what you're thinking._'

"Show me," Ami demanded.

Luna tilted her head forward with scarlet eyes twinkling. She almost looked like she was showing a sign of respect, but then suddenly her face narrowed and her ears traveled upwards. The black mass of her hair swept over her white sleeves and covered her skin. Ami made sure she didn't blink before the transformation was complete. It wasn't a long wait for the girl. In barely any time, the beautiful hostess had shrunk into a black cat on the footstool. Her tail curled around her feet as the little gray girl jumped into her seat. "Impressed?"

"Very," Ami breathed.

"I don't believe it," Rei was spellbound.

Artemis stood with elegant grace from the couch. His white hair almost glowed in the lights as he towered over the seated women. Blue eyes swept over them briefly. "Is this enough proof? Do you believe us?"

It was a simple question. Ami could tell by the girls' matching expression that they had already been sold on the story, especially after the recent display. It was a stretch for them, but it was still hard to deny. Even so, Ami felt a deep unsettling feeling in her gut. It twisted when she saw Mina begin to nod.

The blonde licked her lips, "I guess…well it makes sense."

"I don't think it does," Ami replied curtly. The girls jerked in their seats, startled by their friend's harsh tone. The intern ignored them as she settled her fiery stare at the black cat. "This is an unfair question. It's like showing proof of the wind. It's invisible, uncontainable. You can show us the wind moving the leaves, but—"

"Ami, that proves there such a thing as wind."

"But your asking us to trust your story," Ami's voice grew louder. She spoke over Rei with burning frustration. She tossed back her bangs. "You want us to believe you? You who sent us into dangerous missions? You who all this time never spoke about Senshi or Heavenly Houses? Why you have you waited all this time? _Why?_"

The last word was stress with such intensity that the girls shrunk back from the blue-haired nurse. Ami rarely spoke with such fury. She was a normally meek sounded girl with a voice that barely rose over three decibels. A shout from her was even strange to hear in fights. There was always the soft, petal edge in her words. It made her sound weak and vulnerable. But in those very rare moments, when she burst from that flowery tone and let the thunderous clap of her voice hit the air, it made spine straighten and rebukes die. The last time they had heard that voice was a few weeks after Greg had dumped her.

Luna was undaunted by the woman's tone. Maybe it was because the cat had not been living with the soft sounding woman for the last three years. Maybe it was because the cat had dealt with the high demands and burden voices of royals. Maybe the cat was faking her courage.

Narrowing her scarlet eyes, the ebony cat marginally lifted her chin, "I was waiting—"

"For what? The Negaverse to kill us?"

"No," Luna replied evenly. "To reawaken your powers to full strength you needed to experience battles. You needed to rely on your gifts. Besides, if this conversation had been happening months ago before the Negaverse had reared its head would you have believed us?"

Ami's frown deepened, "How did you know it was the Negaverse that had captured me?"

Luna shifted uneasily and glanced towards her husband. "We've been keeping tabs on the corporation. We believed it was the same ancient evil, but we couldn't be sure. Then when you disappeared, the corporation declared a new line of experimentation. They shut their doors to the news and we did everything we could to dig out your whereabouts through their databases. We could never get anywhere in our frantic search."

'_I had been in darkness. I was electrocuted. I was nearly killed.'_ Ami's eyes pricked with swelling tears. "What if…if…"

"We're very, very sorry for what happened to you, Ami," Luna's voice spoke tentatively. She knew they had screwed up, big time. They had nearly lost, physically and emotionally, the most important person to the kingdom. "We have many regrets."

Ami looked away, blinking away her tears. She wouldn't think again on those hard days. She couldn't let herself dwell on these things. She couldn't keep having these pity parties or else she would never be able to dig herself out of the ever deepening pit. She crossed her arms.

_'This is ridiculous. This has to be a scam.'_

"What more do you want from us?"

Her eyes slid close. She wanted to believe them. She could already feel that small pull between her and the small family. Yet, her logic stomped its foot. It screamed at her for being so stupid.

_'The devil's greatest trick was to fool people into believing he didn't exist. What if I'm wrong? What if I running from the very people who can help? Like when I ran away from Zoisite's apartment?'_

"Ami?"

_'I don't want this…'_

"Moon Princess."

Her eyes snapped open. She slowly turned towards the cat. She saw the woman had returned to her human form and was lightly holding her daughter to her side. Her face was worn and sad. "Dear Moon Princess…"

Ami's jaw went slack, "Me? It's true?"

The beautiful woman nodded, "We believe so. Everything points to you."

"You mean you're not sure?"

"The Negaverse wouldn't be wrong. They said they had found the Moon Princess and they aren't ready to risk loosing the chance to get the Silver Crystal."

Ami's heart fluttered.

"Please, Moon Princess," Luna declared while dropping to her knees at the girl's feet. Ami's flushed as she watched the girl and father join her. It was so odd to see in the everyday living room with coffee sitting on smiley face coasters. Ami swallowed as the woman bowed her head lower. She was almost brushing her forehead with the sandy colored carpet. "Please, let us prove ourselves to you."

She couldn't find her voice. Her throat was collapsing. "I…"

"We want to protect you."

"I…"

Suddenly, a key was heard turning in a lock and a door crashed open. The girls jumped to their feet with muscles bunching. Eyes snapped towards the back rooms as heavy feet were heard.

"Luna? Artemis?"

Ami's heart began to hammer against her ribs. She recognized that voice. Luna pushed to her feet with a happy smile.

"In here!" she yelled.

"Luna! I lost track of Jedite! He disappeared!"

A shadow stretched towards the living room entrance. Ami swallowed anxiously as she felt her body pull tight like a bow string. She felt like she was falling and flying at the same time.

A boot stepped into view followed by a familiar face with jade eyes. "I think—"

His froze within the entry way as his eyes saw the full living room. Almost immediately those smoky green eyes hiding behind strawberry locks found her. She stiffened under his gaze, her brain loosing all momentum. He hastily tore his gaze from her and looked towards the grinning, violet haired hostess. "Luna? When did they get here?"

The woman didn't feel the need to answer his question; instead she whirled towards her attentive guest and stretched out her arm towards the blonde gentleman. Her eyes twinkled, "Ladies, I am proud to introduce Lord Zoisite, Prince of Earth."

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A/N:angelwings peeks gingerly from behind heavy barricade of random furniture Did this help or do you still want to kill me? Zoisite's half of the story's explanation is going to be the next chapter. :) Don't kill me! 


	15. Trashed

_**A/N: Slightly late Thanksgiving treat. Hope you enjoy it. Hits chapter with crowbar "Pesky Writer's block...grrr.."**

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Snowflakes 

_By angelwings1

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_

_Chapter 15: Trashed

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At first, she didn't know what she was feeling. It was a strange bubbling sensation in her ribcage, pressing against her lungs. She could have mistaked it for indigestion, but she hadn't been fortunate enough to grab any food since Jedite's house this morning. Maybe she was hungry. She dismissed the theory, however, when the feeling smoothed out and wrapped around her heart. It was as if hot fingers had squeezed her heart like a plush toy. Her insides churned with discomfort.

Even with the oddity of her anatomy, Ami kept her eyes locked on the man standing in the entryway. She had lost all thought to pull her attention away. Jedite and Malachite could walk in with dark promises in their expressions and she wouldn't have stirred. She was lost in the pull of her aching chest and rapidly failing brain.

_'Moon Princess.'_

_'Prince of Earth.'_

_'Secret love.'_

_'Spiritual connection.'_

_'Don't you remember me?'_

_'I'll find you, my beloved.'_

_'I've never seen you.'_

Everything. Absolutely everything pointed to him. He was the enigma of her hysteria. She knew it now with such certainty underlying the constriction of her chest. Unbidden thoughts sprung through her brain, spiraling wildly out of reach of her effort to stop her chaos. Ami subconsciously recoiled from his smoky eyes as her heart dropped to her toes.

She didn't realize she had stood up until she realized she was abruptly at a different level of perspective than she had previously been viewing. Ami tried not to think about the expressions of worry she was receiving from her girlfriends or the way the man was studying her. She pushed back the ache plaguing her chest and focused on what to do next. Her focus drifted to the man's face again, her memory frantic remember him at the same time write him off as a stranger. She couldn't think properly with everyone staring at her so she walked quietly out of the living room. He silently shifted out of her way and she subtly ducked her head so she wouldn't meet his curious stare.

Once she had passed him and reached the hall, she was momentarily lost on where to go next. Deciding it was dangerous to step outside through the front door and being in plain view, she turned in the opposite direction and explored the other end of the narrow hallway. She walked by the family portraits, only vaguely acknowledging their existence, before stepping into the dining room and joint kitchen. She slowed to a stop. Her eyes swept over the pale orange-yellow pinstripes covering the wall and found a back door. She snorted in frustration when she considered the danger of being out in the backyard. She didn't want to be in the crazy house anymore.

She wanted out. She wanted freedom from this crazy existence.

The door banged behind her and she immediately relaxed. Again she was reminded how much she loved the low temperature of winter. She inhaled deeply, relishing the feel of needle pricks in her lungs. It got her brain to slow and her muscles to unwind. Exhaling, her breath puffed out in white curls and faded into the faint moonlight.

She was standing in a very quaint backyard. There was a nice high fence running around the modest acre with a pair of Elms towering over the back right corner. Beneath the branches, a picnic table sat. On the left, there was a small pink and white swing set with a slide. It was the picturesque American family backyard.

Ami quietly hopped down the steps and headed towards the picnic table. The wood was delicious cold beneath her and she shivered. A content smile spread across her face. Her eyes lifted skywards to stare up at the glittery vastness of the heavens. Her recent hysteria that had been momentarily forgotten fell back heavily on her shoulders.

Ami's heart sank as she found Mercury in the stars. She didn't know what to believe. The girls accepted the metamorph's story, but she wasn't tempted to accept it. It was just too farfetched. Surely, the girls saw it.

Then, him.

He threw off the entire balance of her world by his simple presence. He confused her. He made her lose confidence and stirred anger in her heart. She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to run from him. She wanted to slip her face back into the crook of her neck like she had when he had rescued her. My goodness, she didn't know what the conflict in her heart was about.

She ducked her head, looking away from the stars. She didn't want to look at them. It stirred up things.

She closed off her mind from the invading thoughts. She took short, shallow breaths to keep her heart from speeding back up. Her eyes slid close and she intertwined her fingers in her lap. She dug her fingertips into her knuckles, turning them white. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead into her clenched hands. Her blue hair swept over her cheeks and the cold began to sink pass her heavy coat into the marrow of her bones. An unbidden sob slipped pass her cracked lips. "I can't do this."

She shook her head. "I can't."

She couldn't live in that universe Luna declared. It was beyond the stability of her logic. It wouldn't let her accept her to be a forgotten princess meant to save the universe with some divine crystal. No, her logic preferred the idea of serial killer had kidnapped her and she was being followed by a bunch of lunatics. Maybe it was also be easier to throw away her gift for water and ice. If she believed it wasn't there, maybe it would go away. Maybe it would all go away.

She laughed. Had she really fallen to that level? Had she become so afraid of what she had found that she was ready to feign ignorance to escape its suffocating truth? Scientist had done it before. They had created whole theories they didn't fully believe just so they didn't have to accept the proven truth. How foolish.

No, she was the fool.

Such the fool.

Ami uncurled her fingers. They slowly groaned with stiffness as the blood flow returned. The young nurse stared down at her pale fingers. _'So innocent looking…'_

She pressed her thumb hard into the center of her palm. It shifted over the expanse of skin, drawing an invisible line up towards the tips of her fingers. They brushed together, feeling for some indication of magic that hid in her blood. _'So normal looking…and yet in a heartbeat I could command a small snowstorm.'_

Her hands fell at her side. _'But does not truly mean I am the protector of this world?'_

She glanced back towards the house and it glowing windows. _'The girls can do things as well. Couldn't they be the princess? Why does it have to be me?_

_'Because I was the one they kidnapped. I heard them say I was the one.'_

But it felt wrong in her gut. She didn't feel like a princess or a great fighter. She felt small and frightened.

Her dreams had called her a princess.

The people inside called her a princess.

If you say it enough, did it make you one?

She shook her head and sighed deeply, "What do I do?"

The back door creaked open and her eyes lifted. She was only half-surprise to see it was him who intruded on her solitude. She knew it would only be a matter of time till he sought her.

With the light shining behind him, she wasn't able to see his shadowed eyes. She guessed he was staring at her. Ami shivered at how dark and foreboding his black silhouette stood against the kitchen light. The scene reminded her of her dream about Malachite in the dark hallway.

"I'm sorry." His voice rushed out like he had been holding his breath. He's boots crunched through the thin layer of snow as he struck across the yard. The door closed and the light was swept back.

Ami blinked, "What?"

He pulled up short of her, body stiffly. He was black tower against the moonlight. Gradually, her eyes adjusted to darkness again and she was able to see his stricken features pass his blonde bangs. His green eyes were unusually tired looking.

"I'm sorry," he repeated softer. He raked back his bangs with a shaky hand. "I didn't want it to be like this."

"Like this?"

He sighed, "I didn't want to overwhelm you."

She laughed dryly, "Yes, I guess you could say I'm overwhelmed."

She studied him with uncertainty. Though there had been an obvious connection between them from the day she had first met him in the alley, she wasn't sure how to act around him. Her thoughts and emotions were still disorganized and pounding in her head. All she could trust herself to do was silently stare at him.

"I wanted you to remember on your own. I thought it would be a better way."

She thought of her dreams before mildly replying "I thought reincarnated souls couldn't remember past lives."

"I have," he said, stepping forward. He felt his face get hot and he immediately thank the night for being so dark. He really didn't want her to see how glad he was to see her again. He had already frightened her enough with his previous appearances. Now, with all the knowledge Luna and Artemis had dumped in her lap, she had to be ready to bolt. He had to be very careful with her.

"I've remembered bits and pieces actually," he admitted slower. He studied her for a reaction, but she kept her face blank and unreadable. "Well, I have since I came back from a dig in Africa over two years ago."

"Two years?" she whispered with barely contained awe.

He exhaled deeply, "In a way, we're the same. We both got blindsided by this whole Negaverse-Millennium-Kingdom-crap."

She turned away, the small ache from earlier returning. _'I feel more like I got run over by an eighteen-wheeler.'_

"Maybe I should just start from the beginning?"

"That would be nice," she grumbled. "Maybe then I can make heads or tails about all of this."

"Do you mind if we go back inside?" He cocked his head and gave her a boyish grin. "It's a little chilly."

Her eyes studied the home with trepidation. She was quite content outside, regardless that hypothermia was probably starting to settle into her fingers. If she went inside, she would have to battle her friends' worry filled glances.

"Besides, if we go inside we can finally tend your friend with the bullet wound."

Ami flinched, "Yea, we should go look at that."

She quickly stood up and brushed pass the confusing man. She ignored how his body heat brushed against her as she passed. She locked her eyes on the back door with determination. She would not let herself be distraction by him. She needed to help Serena after being kept back by Luna.

"By the way, why did Luna want us to wait for you before tending to her shoulder?" she questioned angrily. She was not happy that they hadn't let her, a nurse in training, pull out a bullet.

"I'm very skilled in healing," he replied behind her.

She subtly snorted in response. It wasn't that she didn't believe him. She just didn't like the idea that she was beginning shoved aside for someone she assumed, from his previous comment, to be an archeologist.

Returning to the living room, she found the girls had disappeared leaving only Serena and a nursing Luna behind. The dark haired woman rose upon their entrance.

"Is everything alright?" the woman's scarlet eyes focused on the quiet nurse.

Ami nodded and glanced around the room, "Where are the girls?"

"They're settling into the guest bedroom with set up for you. I told them it was best to give you space for a moment."

Ami smiled sorrowfully, "Yea, they know when I'm upset to let me ride it on my own. I come to them after I'm calmed down."

Luna smiled back, "That's what they said. But told me to give you a message, to hurry up and get to bed. I told them I would make sure you did, but I also warned them you are taking this a lot harder than they are."

The blue-haired shuffled uneasily under the woman's piercing gaze, "Because I'm the Moon Princess."

Surprisingly, Luna disagreed.

"No," she replied warmly. "Because you are the hardest to convince the story is real. Even with the dreams you have been having."

Ami stiffened, "H-How?"

Luna waved her off, "We'll discuss it tomorrow. For now, help your friend and get a good night's sleep."

The woman quietly stepped out to the hall as Ami whirled around, "But what about—"

"Don't worry so much, princess," Luna's tone was playful, though her eyes were as tired as Zoisite's. "The Negaverse has no knowledge of myself or Artemis. Much less about where we are. You're safe. We have all the time tomorrow for your many questions."

Ami was tempted to ignore this. She wanted to shout out everything that was rushing through her soul. She had so many questions that she wondered if they truly had the time to answer them all. She knew, however, that she was exhausted and emotional shaky. Sleep would do her well even if it would be an elusive friend this night with so many things playing in her head.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality," Ami hastily replied instead, giving a respective bow of the head.

Luna's eyes became watery before she slipped out of sight. "Don't mention it."

Ami stood staring at the empty archway, numb. It was strange how quickly she had come to trust the woman, even if she didn't believe her story. She should be shouted at the girls to escape before something happened, but she felt only calm resolve to sleep in the woman's comfy home. Yes, it was odd for the girl of logic.

"Come over here."

Her blues eyes shifted over to the couch when he called to her. Zoisite was hunching over Serena's side, inspecting the wound beneath the ripped cloth used for a bandage. His eyes narrowed when the blonde girl groaned in her sleep.

"It doesn't look too bad," he commented, pressing lightly against the jacket's hole. "It's a pretty clean. I'm surprised she hasn't lost more blood considering how deep the bullet is."

Ami walked over to stand slightly behind him, "Luna shouldn't have so quickly. We're going to need some tweezers or something."

"Oh no. There's no need."

Ami's eyebrows shot up and stared at the man, "Excuse me?"

He smirked up at her. Ami scowled as he turned back to the unconscious woman and lifted his hand off her shoulder. "I told you I have a skill for healing."

To the woman's surprise, a pale green light began to swell beneath his palm. Her eyes became wide as she saw wisps of light wrap around his fingers in transparent fibers. There was a distinct scent of fresh earth and sakura blossoms. It was like a warm blanket on a freezing evening. Instinctively, Ami reached out to it. Zoisite watched her closely as her hand drifted over his, barely brushing his hot skin. The green light wrapped over her fingers. The heat transferred into her flesh, not burning, but comforting. She sucked in a small gasp as her toes curled.

He smiled at her reaction before returning his attention back to the bullet wound. He watched with mild fascination as the visible, blood crusted skin quivered beneath his touch. The thin, green fibers dove into the wound and wrapped around the metal inside. There was pulse of energy and the bullet shifted. He narrowed his eyes on the torn hole in the girl's shoulder, searching for a familiar glint. Again the bullet shifted and Serena moaned. He heard the nurse's voice quiver, "What are you doing?"

He spotted the black mass crawling for the surface and he tightened his magic. The light glared across the battered metal as it gradually peeked out of Serena's skin. Zoisite continued to pull on his magic, forcing the bullet higher. It wasn't long before it had pushed so far out of the skin that he was able to pick the bullet out with his fingertips.

Ami froze when she saw his bloody fingers lift the bullet into the light. He hadn't even used tweezers. The bullet had simply crawled out of Serena's shoulder as if it had been a life of its own. Zoisite tossed the bullet aside and returned his hand to the shoulder wound.

The fibers of magic wove into the flesh. Green faded into pale pink and magic transformed into fresh skin. The wound slowly drew together, tucking away the gruesome gorge. Soon, the wound had disappeared and was replaced by a small white scar. Zoisite frowned at the star-shaped tissue beneath the crusted blood. He pressed his hand firmly against Serena's shoulder and forced more magic to push out of his palm. Her skin grew hot. Ami watched with shock as the removal of his hand revealed undamaged skin.

She quickly darted forward to rub away the blood. When she found no scar or broken flesh, she grew very still.

"You have a gift, too." She was awed by the information. She had never met a man who had a gift like she or the girls. It might be a bit sexist, but she honestly had only met girls who had special abilities. Besides, healing wasn't exactly the same as using lightning or earth. It wasn't an element.

Without thinking, Ami snatched up his hand and turned his palm over. She pressed her thumbs into the pad of skin. Pulling and tugging at the skin, she studied his hand as if there laid some grand secret in the lines of his palm. Zoisite smiled at her child-like wonder. She was one of the most brilliant minds on the planet and she was acting as if she was six with her eyes so wide and full of twinkling excitement.

His eyes dropped to sight of their hands and he grew lost in her gentle touch. She was warm and real in his hand. She wasn't a dream he would lose once he woke. His heart strings quivered with emotions as he covered his other hand over hers. Ami blushed and looked up at the man in surprise.

He saw it all in her faces. His scattered memories and evasive dreams were in that quiet expression. He had seen it so many times and now it was finally real. Oh, how he waited so long to see it.

"Ami…" he breathed involuntarily, leaning closer towards the beautiful woman.

Her name had broken through her racing heartbeat. She instinctively jerked back her hand with a burning blush in her face. The moment he had covered her hand with his she had felt a race of heat passed through her and her heart had sped.

Immediately, the sparkle in his eyes faded. Her heart squeezed when she saw sadness replace it. She tried to console him as best she could and made to reach out for him, but he curled silently away from her touch. He shook his head with a somber smile.

"It's okay," he whispered hoarsely.

"I'm sorry," she said gingerly. "But I-I can't remember anything about you."

He nodded, eyes downcast. "I know."

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes when she heard how broken he sounded. "I wish I could. It would make everything so much easier to accept."

Her hands clenched at her sides, "But I can't help wondering if this is a mistake."

He lifted his head slightly. "A mistake?"

"About who I am," she hastily interceded before he thought she was implying their supposed relationship. "Surely, I'm not some princess meant to save the world."

He frowned, "Why not?"

She pulled away, her emotions warring against each other. "I just can't be her."

He followed her, "Again I ask, why not?"

Her eyes drew towards her unconscious friend. She felt her confidence flicker, "I'm not strong enough to be the heroine."

"Strong enough? You can't be serious."

"The girls are much stronger than me," she grumbled softly. "They've never…"

Her words trailed off. She bit down on her lower lip as she thought back to earlier years. Seeing the way he was studying her, she shifted uneasily. She turned slightly away. "One of them would make a much better princess."

His hand wrapped around her frail wrist, stilling her motion. She was hesitant to look back into those eyes that could easily make her heart race. She gasped when his hot breath warmed her ear. "I might not know everything like Luna and Artemis do, but I have no doubt that you are the Moon Princess."

"How?" she whirled, eyes hard. She forced her gaze towards his handsome face. Though her confidence was weak, her voice rose loudly, "Tell me so I can stop doubting!"

She could feel her powers shifting beneath the surface. The temperature in the room dramatically dropped and she could feel the pipes under the house strain. Zoisite glanced around wildly when he heard the loud creaks under his feet. Ami clenched her fists against her sides as she tried to restrain her gift. Breathing deeply, she calmed her nerves and quietly shook off the wild feelings. Slowly, the warmth returned to the room. She turned away from him. Her hand drifted over her heart and tangled into her shirt. _'Be more careful.'_

"Ami."

She was so confused. She didn't know what to think or feel. She passed a hand across her weary face. "I'm sorry for yelling."

"It's okay," he said softly.

Her eyes squeezed shut at his small admission. _'No, its not.'_

"Please sit down."

At that moment she didn't think there was any reason for her to deny his simple request. Numbly, she walked over to the nearest seat and sunk into it. Her forehead was immediately in her palm and she sighed, "I'm sick of this."

"I first learned about you five years ago." Ami stiffened and she lifted her head to see Zoisite staring down at her with a distant look in his eyes. He shoved his hands into his jean pockets. "But I didn't know who you were. I just kept seeing your face in my dreams."

"Your dreams?" Her heart stopped.

He inhaled deeply, "At first, I wrote the same dream for three nights as a random case of dejavu. When two weeks of dreams, however, produced nothing new, I began to grow anxious. I didn't understand why I kept seeing this beautiful woman's face. The scene would always be different, but the face was the same. It was the same smile, the same eyes, the same woman.

"You were always evasive in the dream. I would hear small wisps of your voice and laughter. I would run after you, beg for your name, but you were slip through my fingers time and time again. After two months, I began to sketch your face into my notes. Sometimes it was done conscious, but mostly, my hand had a will of its own. I was often day dreaming about you, wondering who you were and why I knew your face.

"Then one day I was called to France because there was newly discovered catacomb beneath a church. Even there, you followed me, but that's not important. What was important about that day was the person who came to visit me on my third day of excavations. He's name was Malachite and—"

"Malachite?" she squeaked.

Zoisite pulled to a stop, "You know him?"

"Well, only recently," she admitted. "He was the one who intercepted us at the coffee house hours ago. I never saw him before until that moment."

"Watch yourself around him," Zoisite hissed darkly. "He's the leading man of the NVerse's generals. He's the worst one to run into."

Ami wasn't so sure. Malachite hadn't appeared to be that difficult when they had fought. Perhaps, he did get the upper hand at the last moment of the fight, but he hadn't done anything drastic. She bet if she had another round with him, she would be able to take him down.

"Anyways," Zoisite continued. "Malachite made an appearance at the dig, claiming to have special interest in the church's lost history. He basically asked me to report anything I or more crew found to him personally. I shrugged it off until I found a small box with four stones hidden in the tomb of a forgotten king."

"There was a king in a catacomb?" Ami was shocked. Nobles were often buried in churches, but not in the catacombs. Kings were placed in the floor or in special corners, not the underground graves where few enter. To find the grave of a king in a catacomb seemed odd. Either the king wasn't popular in his reign or there was risk his grave would be violated. Both reasons seemed doubtful in her mind. "Was there a name on the grave?"

Zoisite shook his head. "Most of the graves down there had been damaged during a small seismic earthquake from several years ago. There appeared to have been a cast of his name on the top of his stone casket, but it was broken apart when we found it."

Ami shoulders drooped with disappointment. She wasn't much for archeology, but she knew a good deal of French history. She would love to have figured out the story behind the king's tomb. She quietly shook off the desire, reminding herself there were far more important things to busy her mind. "You said you found a box of stones in the tomb. Were these the same stones I found in your room?"

He confirmed her suspicions. "I had no idea what they were when I found them, but I decided to keep their discovery a secret from my crew and Malachite. I'm not sure why I did that, yet I'm glad I did now that know what they are and Malachite's identity."

"What are they?" It was a question she didn't need to voice, but she couldn't keep herself from blurting out the words. She blushed lightly.

He smiled at her shyness. "It's okay. It took me some time to find out what they were. I tried to do research in my free time from the site, but I realized very quickly that I was being followed. When I saw the men keeping tabs on me, I decided to be wary of Malachite and try to find other routes to recovering information on the nameless king and the stones. I lucked out when one of the librarians mentioned there was a historian on the outskirts of the city that might know something useful. She said he was obsessed with that particular church's history.

"I had to do a lot to lose the men following me, but I fortunate enough to escape their eyes and get a call in to the man. We arranged a meeting for early dawn. When I left the hotel, I took a back fire escape exit and took a cab to the man's office. The man I met was Artemis."

"Artemis?"

He nodded, "He and Luna were still searching for you and the Senshi when I met with them in France. Their search had led them to the church in France. When we met, Artemis immediately recognized a spiritual connection between us. Unfortunately, neither he nor Luna understood what the extent of the connection was. He didn't tell me all of this. Instead, he took a look at the stones.

"He didn't recognize the stones, but he said his wife might. She was out on a business meeting and was suppose to arrive that night so we scheduled a second meeting that evening back at his house.

"Unfortunately, that meeting never took place. Malachite must have figured out that I had ducked out so when I tried to slip out a second time, he was ready. When he found me trying to run out of the hotel, he came to the conclusion that I had found what he was looking for. He all, but ran my rental car off the road."

"Oh my gosh."

"Somehow, I lost him, but when I got back to Artemis I was a wreck and my car wasn't in better shape. To my shock, I found Artemis and Luna waiting at the front door with several bags of luggage. They didn't say much when I was hauled into the back of their van. I tried to protest, but they swore it was for my safety. After the highway car chase, it wasn't hard to convince me to stay in the van. When they tried to put me on a plane to America, I did, however, protest."

"America?"

"We ran into a back room into the airport. I never was able to figure out how they were able to dodge security. In there, they basically… scared the crap out of me." He laughed sourly and ran a nervous hand through his tangled hair. "I mean they laid everything out on the table about the Millennium Kingdom, the Moon Princess, the Negaverse, everything. I was ready to bolt out the door and hand the stones over to Malachite. I thought that end would be better than jumping on a plane with two psychos.

"Anyways, I was about to run out when Artemis asked me if I was having strange dreams. That made me stop."

Ami leaned forward on her elbows, "So you eventually found out you were the Prince of Earth?"

He shrugged, "Sort of."

Her eyebrows shot up, "What do you mean by sort of?"

"It was more like we realized who I was when we found out who _you_ were." He slowly turned his face to her, eyes soft and yearning. She flushed as his gaze fell on her face. He took a tentative step forward. His voice was a whisper, a bare thread of barely constrained emotion. "I know it's hard to understand the idea of loving someone you've never met and I'm not asking you to understand it. I merely explaining that I fell in love with the woman in my dreams and spent every waking moment trying to find her. When Artemis and Luna found about the dreams, they realized there was more than my coincidental discovery of the stones and the tomb.

"Everything came to new light when they found out the NVerse had found the Moon Princess. They got a hold of a picture of you and when I saw it I went into shock. I was looking into the same person that had haunted my ever minute of sleep. From there, they connected my…um…_fixation_ for you as the proof of our former relationship."

Before she could stop herself she stuttered, "F-Former relationship?"

He hesitated for a heart stopping moment.

"We were engaged in our past lives."

Ami recoiled and bit down on her tongue. The wild storm from earlier began to play once again in her chest. She fought back the urge to run away again and instead, opted to shift her eyes away from the tall, overwhelming figure in front of her. She brought a shaky hand over her muted mouth as if to contemplate her situation. She tried to think beyond her roaring heartbeat and the surge of embarrassment filling her chest. She just didn't know what to say to that.

"D-Did they ever find out what the stones w-were?" She rattled out. It was the only thing she could articulate. It was the only thing that pushed passed the fog in her head.

His eyes dropped along with her heart. He knew it was too much to hope she would fall into his arms upon his admission, but he was sorely disappointed to see how quickly she had excused it. If she had questioned it or rejected, there was his chance to prove their spiritual connection. He needed an opening to reach out to her, or else she would do exactly what she was doing now, closing herself off.

He studied her features, watching the flashes of emotions in her blue eyes. He was tempted to ignore the question to see what she would do. He didn't want to give up so soon.

"Did they ever find out what the stones were?" she repeated with a slightly harder tone.

His heart sputtered and died. He exhaled deeply, "The story behind the stones is that when my Generals attacked the Millennium Kingdom, they hadn't intended for me to be killed. They had wanted to murder you and your bodyguards so they could take the throne. My life was to be spared so I might take ownership of the kingdom. How ever it happened, I was murdered by another hand and when my body was found by my generals they were overwhelmed with guilt. In the final moments of the attack, my generals threw themselves at Queen Serenity's feet and begged for her forgiveness.

"Supposedly, she saw their remorse and decided to show mercy on them, but it was not without bitter irony. Seconds before the castle collapsed and killed them, Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to seal away their memories into four stones. It was blessing because it took away their guilt, but it was horrible for it also stole everything they loved and cherished.

"Even worse, it stole their true identities. For you and the girls, there is a likely chance that you will eventually remember your past lives. But for my former generals, that was changed when Queen Serenity sealed away their memories. Now for them to remember their past, I must reinsert the four crystals back into each of their hearts. Artemis and I believe Queen Serenity chose this fate for them because this way I would have to decide whether or not they deserve to have their memories back after the way they betrayed me."

"Do they deserve it?" Ami asked bitterly, looking over to Serena. "They don't seem to have changed."

Zoisite swung around and hoarsely growled, "Only because the Negaverse has once again poisoned their minds. I know they wouldn't do this if they could remember what happened. Queen Serenity hadn't expected the Nverse to twist her intentions and use their lack of memories against her."

His knuckles were white against his jeans as he kept his back to her.

"I know it weird to be so loyal to people I never really met," he grumbled beneath his shuddering breathe. "But I can't…can't let them go. I feel…"

He pressed a hard fist against his heart, reveling in the hatred that burned so potent there. "I feel a burden for them and the desire to murder all of the NVerse for what they've done to them."

His face swiveled back around, his eyes filled with something she couldn't quite describe. "And us."

_Us._

It was so strange to hear in her ears. She hadn't thought of anyone in that regards since Greg left her. He had been like falling off the tallest mountain and landing in the deepest pit. After, he had walked out she wasn't ready to start working on any new relationships. Oh, sure she had dated a few admirers, but they had never lasted. She would always cut them off before they got too close to her. She also made sure the girls never heard of her most recent date until was close to over. Perhaps Mina had dated more guys than she had in the past year, but Ami had never let one guy go beyond two or three dates. She'd have her fun, get out some pint up stress, and then cut off with some lame excuse to her date. Thinking back, her last date had been over a month ago.

"There is no us," she replied gingerly, backing up a couple of steps. His eyes clouded and her heart squeezed at the sight. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she didn't know him. She had never met him until that day in the alley. The way he spoke so passionately about her was like listening to a committed psycho. And she had met plenty of psychos in her line of work.

"There is no us," she repeated, pulling further away. "Even if there had been…well that's over." She grappled desperately how to explain to him what was surging through. Having a man ready to give his love for her wasn't enough. She had already dealt with the fairytale life. She wasn't ready to try again. It was too big of a risk.

"This is now," she continued with a weary tone. Her eyes locked with his, bridging a sad apology between them. "I never met you until that day in the alley. I don't know you."

His heart stopped beating when his worst nightmare began to unfold.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. "But I don't know who _us_ is."

The words died in her throat. Her chest became hollow and she knew the conversation was over. She stiffly walked away, her mind grow fuzzier with each step. His silence was a knife digging into her chest. Maybe part of her wanted him to stop her, to fight for her. Maybe she still wanted Greg to fight with her. Maybe she just wanted just someone to fight for her.

Maybe she was sick of begin alone.

Maybe she was ready to be more than logic and unfeeling walls.

It didn't matter. She was walking away again from another opportunity of life. She was giving in to _'the better safe, than sorry'_ fail safe in her heart, and no one was stopping her. Unbeknownst to her or him, a tear slipped out from the corner of her eye.

Zoisite knew he had no right to expect anything more from her. That was why he made no response to stop her. He couldn't latch her to the chair and demand that she love him. That was the logical side talking he knew. He hadn't listened to that side for the last months, but after all that she had gone through he didn't believe it was time to bend a knee and plead her for her heart.

His heart strummed faintly in his ears. He clenched his hands and felt the throbbing pulse in his fists. When would this roller coaster be over?

There was a soft moan from the couch, "Excuse me."

His tight strung body snapped towards the gentle voice. He stared down in shock at the battered angel lying limp across the blue furniture. Her blonde locks smudged with grim spilled across the armrest as she shifted into a more comfortable position. Serena pushed pass the wooziness sinking into her stomach and forced a pained smile.

"Please, excuse Ami," she pleaded gently. "Even for genius, she has a difficult time dealing with her emotions."

Zoisite looked back towards the entryway Ami had disappeared through.

"She's been through a lot for a young woman," Serena continued, slowly rising into a sitting position as she spoke. She pushed her messy bangs out of her blue eyes to better study the man's rugged profile. "All five of us have dealt with hard lives. I wouldn't say Ami's had the hardest, but she dealt with it the hardest. She rather pretend she has no feelings to escape the heartache."

"Really?" he mumbled, his brow pinching together.

She sighed, "I heard most of what's going on. I might have slipped in and out every few minutes, but I got the jist. I'm not surprise Ami refuses to believe any of this."

"I know it's a lot to take in," he admitted bitterly.

"But for Ami, its beyond her," Serena shook her head, her eyes become sorrowful. "She doesn't take to trusting her emotions as readily as we do. She thinks logic keeps you safe."

Zoisite turned questioning eyes to the gentle blonde, "Safe?"

"She's dealt with a lot of emotional trauma, but even if she hadn't, Ami believes in the proof and evidence. She's sent her whole life living by theory and risk factors."

"Are you saying she can't calculate me into the equation?" he stated with skeptism.

Serena exhaled loudly, "I think that's a bit harsh, but it does give you a small look into her perspective."

"What perspective? That her life is a science problem? She's not a robot," Zoisite replied sharply. "I see it in her eyes. There's passion, determination—"

"Fear." Serena replied, looking at him pointedly. "She's not someone who steps out of her comfort zone. We've tried to pull out of it every chance we get, but she content to live in a bubble. She lay her life on the line for others, but she rather run then face her feelings."

His jade eyes went back to the archway, "For some reason, I never thought she would run from something like that."

Serena cocked her head, "Why's that?"

With a small blush, Zoisite let out a shaky mumble, "I remember her being full of passion."

Blue eyes became misted. "She once was."

* * *

**_A/N: Small cliffy. Poor Zoi so in love with a girl from his dreams. Hmmm...I bet no one has yet figured out where I'm going with this. Hehehehe. What's cool is I know the end and I'm still very pumped over the plot! Next chapter is titled "What's in a Name?"

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_****_A/N: Woohoo! I've gotten so many reviews for this story! I'm very happy even if its nothing in comparison to the thousands I've seen other stories have gotten. I'm still very proud and glad this story is loved. Please continue to review and keep the smile on my pretty face!_**


	16. What's in a Name?

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 16: What's in a Name?_

* * *

.. 

She slid the door close behind her, careful to be as quiet as possible. The room was dark, but she was able to vaguely make out the girls' body stretched across several cots. Ami inhaled sharply as a wave of tears threatened to burst out.

Passing a hand over her face, she ignored the desperate need to think over her complicated situation and focused on the empty cot ahead of her. Ami drifted over to the bed in a haze. She pulled back the covers, but as she sank down onto the mattress she hesitated on the edge of the mattress. Her hands fell down into her lap and swallowed back a loud gulp. She tried to make her mind a blank. All the erratic feelings and uncertainty faded from her chest, leaving a loud ache.

She shook her head. It was all too much for one person to handle.

It was no surprise to hear the bed sheets of the neighboring beds begin to shift in the darkness. Quietly, each of the girls withdrew from their warm cots. It was foolish to think they would have been able to sleep after all that had happened in the last hours. They had been waiting patiently for their friend's return, knowing Ami was dealing with another hard moment of her life. They were just as lost as the girl, but did not stop their need to console her.

Ami decided against lifting her head, fearful that if she connected her gaze with her girlfriends' it might weaken her defenses. She refused to cry. She wouldn't let herself be so weak. She was stronger than what everyone thought of her. She was stronger.

When she felt the first sink in her cot by her side, the words shouted louder in her head: _'I'm stronger…'_

A warm hand grabbed hers in the dark. She felt the hand tighten over hers to offer silent support. There was another sink in her cot on her other side and a head rested on her shoulder. Ami kept her breathing steady.

"It's okay, Ami," Mina whispered, dropping onto the mattress. She leaned against the intern's back and sighed, "It's okay."

Ami involuntarily shook her head, "No, its not."

Her voice was far colder than she had meant it to be. Her heart clenched at the sound.

"We're here," Lita stated warmly. Another hand joined the one in the nurse's lap. "We'll get through this together."

Ami's shoulders shook for a second as a horrible sensation settled in her stomach. Somehow Lita's words only made her feel worse. She didn't doubt her friends would be with her through this trial, but she feared they might become victims like Serena in this giant mess.

She was definitely not strong enough to handle them getting hurt because of her.

* * *

.. 

_She laughed outright, the free sound bubbling in her throat and bursting pass her lips before she knew what was happening. She nervously raked through her fluttering blue tresses. "I don't know. They are good looking."_

_"They're drop dead gorgeous!" Mina squealed, bouncing beside the young woman. Her finger extended towards the bunch of men on the opposite end of the courtyard. She grabbed Serena's arm as her voice grew dangerously higher. "We should go over there."_

_Lita rolled her eyes at the blonde's lack of restraint, "Amara wants us at the training grounds."_

_"We just left there!" Mina whined. Her blue eyes stayed locked on the group of men even as the girls tried to push her along the stone path. "We could say it was research for interworld relations."_

_"To speak with really hot men?" Rei replied deadpanned. She glared pointedly towards the generals. Her eyebrows rose when one of the 'hot' men nodded to her. She blushed and shoved her chin into the air. "I'm not getting another five hour workout for being late."_

_Her heels clicked faster across the stone as she darted ahead of the girls. Serena grinned excitedly, "I think Rei is scared of a bunch of men!"_

_"What?!"_

_Ami couldn't hold back the burst of laughter. She swayed momentarily on her feet, her eyes involuntarily swiveling back towards the men on the other side of the courtyard. Her heart stopped when she met green jade._

* * *

.. 

He had been there in her other life. She had seen him now more than once in her dreams. But she had yet to see anything beyond a glance exchanged between them. There was no suggestion of intimacy, even though Zoisite swore there had been.

Ami blinked several times, slowly focusing on the digital clock inches from her face. She was surprised by how late in the morning it was. Course, she wasn't sure when exactly she had fallen asleep. Last night was a blur of comforting whispers and unshed tears. She had leaned against one of the girls' shoulders from the last thing she remembered. She was glad she had been able to nod off. Part of it had to have been from exhausting her powers the night before with Malachite and Jedite.

Rising from her cot, she discovered the room to be empty save for one very awake blonde. Ami stiffened when she saw how carefully Serena was watching her. There was a lack of joviality that was usually permanent on the young blonde's face. Her sorrowful eyes were worried and Ami knew why. Serena had found out what was going on. Ami looked away.

Serena's heart sank deeper when she saw Ami turn from her. They had been very close for friends since that day Ami had revealed her gift. Ami had been different back then. Serena hated to see her friend so hesitant to lean on her. They had relied on each other so much in their youth when they had begun to charge out on Luna's missions. Lately, she had begun to stretch the distance between them. This wasn't after Greg. No, it had been a full year after Greg that Serena had begun to notice the spark dying in Ami. She was quickly reverting back to the small girl she had found hiding in her bedroom, clutching a grey kitten.

Serena blinked back her tears. "What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know," Ami admitted. She combed back her messy blue hair with her fingers, a nervous habit. "I was almost hoping that I would wake up and everything would be put back to normal."

Serena nodded, "Yea."

Her eyes drifted pass the blue haired woman to see a new wave of snowflakes floating pass the window. Ami stared at dully. The cold weather always seemed to lighten her friend's mood, but it appeared that even the falling snow wouldn't brighten her day. She looked very much defeated.

Serena pushed off the bed and shuffled over to her friend's. Grinning brightly, she dropped heavily onto the mattress, causing the springs to bounce the tiny nurse. Ami threw up her hands on reflex. Serena's eyes twinkled merrily as her friend gave her a sour look. Serena's heart skipped. There was the spark.

"Hey," she leaned up against her, pressing her blonde locks into the nurse's shoulder. Ami was unconsciously drawn to the contrast of her dark hair against the woman's blonde crown. "Are you okay, Ames?"

The nurse looked down at sad blue eyes, and she felt suddenly warmer.

"I'll be okay," she whispered, pressing her cheek into the girl's brow. Serena heard the passing wistful tone and sought out her friend's hand. She gripped her hand tightly.

"You promise?"

"I promise." She wanted to believe those words more than Serena.

The blonde gave a slight nod, "Things will get better."

That was the promise Serena wanted to keep.

* * *

.. 

Afterwards, the two girls followed the ever pressing growl of Serena's stomach to the dining room, where everyone else had collected. Lita and Luna were busy cooking in the joint kitchen while the rest were elbow to elbow at the crowded table top. The table was obviously not meant for nine seats, but their hosts had been more than determined to make everyone feel welcome. They had shoved all the narrowed chairs they could around the oval table. The heavy aroma of omelets filled the dining room. It made Ami revisit childhood dreams of having a large family of brothers and sisters.

Warm smiled greeted the pair as they entered. Ami ducked her head as she followed behind Serena, her embarrassment from last night firing up in her rosy cheeks.

"Good morning," Serena greeted, running to the nearest open chair. Without waiting for a reply, the blonde woman grabbed an empty plate and began to heap on the helpings. Ami quietly slid into the seat next to her. She eyed the faces around the tables through the thin spaces between her midnight bangs. The girls pretended nothing was out of the ordinary as they quietly set their eyes on their plates. Diana smiled with chubby cheeks full of eggs. Artemis gave her small nod over his mug. Zoisite was staring at her. Ami immediately set to filling her plate.

Lita and Luna came in with piping hot biscuits, laughing over some joke Luna had told. Ami shifted her chair as far as she could to side to allow the two ladies room to get into the circle. Lita didn't show any sign of worry as she settled next to the Ami. The young girl understood this because the girls knew Ami didn't want any attention with other eyes nearby. She wanted to be left to her privacy.

"Did you sleep well, Ami?"

Unfortunately, her hosts did not understand this valuable information. Instead, they were carefully studying her with sorrowful eyes. Lita stiffened next to her. Luna had asked an innocent question, but sadly, it hinted towards last night emotional drama. Ami wasn't excited to think about those moments again. She instead fell back on the regurgitated answers of house guests: "Fine Thank you."

Luna seemed to accept this answer and began to eat. Perhaps, she caught on that the subject was still a very tender subject. Ami anxiously glanced at the woman through the corner of her eye. Luna's dark hair was pulled into a wild ponytail as if she hadn't found the time this morning to attend to her long threshes. Even her clothes were rumpled. Ami wondered if the woman was simply too exhausted from all the excitement of last night to care or was she not a morning person. The young girl glanced down at her own attire and remembered she had failed to even change out of the outfit she had worn yesterday. Shameful manners.

"I was hoping you girls might be willing to continue our discussion from last night."

Forks clattered loudly as the girls froze. Slowly, they gazed at the woman sitting at the head of the table. Luna stared back at them with a determined look. It appeared their moment of rest was not meant to be much longer than a shallow breath.

"What of?" Lita inquired.

Luna let out a tired sigh, "Sadly, there is little time for you to think on things. Actions must be made quickly."

"Why?" Rei glared. She obviously peeved that they were being ordered around by this woman. The priestess had never dealt well with authority. "Because of the NVerse?"

Artemis nodded, "We cannot be foolish and believe we are free of being discovered. The NVerse's resources are still vague to us. We cannot be idle."

"Idle?" Mina interjected. "What are you talking about?"

"Attacking the NVerse," Luna stated easily. She set aside her fork to meet the gaping stares circling the table. The dark haired woman rolled her eyes inwardly at how childish the round of girls appeared. "You cannot presume this will go away."

"But attacking?" Lita gasped. "We've barely outrun them twice. Ami's been kidnapped and tormented. You said it was a great evil that even our past…"

They waited patiently as the brunette girl struggled for the proper words.

"Our past _selves_ weren't able to stop them," she finally spat. Green eyes sparkled with fear. "How do you presume we might have better success when it appears they have had the upper hand lately?"

Luna glanced to the quiet man at her side. "Though the NVerse is powerful, they are still far weaker than you girls."

"Weaker?"

"Yes, the NVerse relied on surprise and others in the past life to win their battles. In an ironic way, the NVerse has been using the element of surprise yet again to win this new fight."

_They kidnapped me. _

_They attacked us through Jedite._

_They attacked us at the coffeehouse under a false identity. _

It made sense.

"But to say we're stronger?" Rei grumbled. She shifted and bumped elbows with Mina who cursed out in pain. Rei ignored the glare. "We've got some skill, but this is a bloody army you're talking about facing. We're just a bunch of girls who've been playing superheroes. You can't expect us to win."

"Indeed I do. I expect you to kill the NVerse."

Ami stopped breathing, "Kill? We've never…"

"We will not kill!" Serena shrilled.

Luna's beautiful face became very dark. Diana, never enjoying to see such a twisted expression on her mother's face, cowered into her father's side. She tucked her nose beneath his arm with her warm eyes peeking over his gray jacket. Ami was distinctly aware that the small child's posture resembled much like a kitten. "This is no game, friends. These people are out to kill you. Either you wait for them or you meet them."

"We've never done anything like this," Lita shook her head feverishly. "We've saved people from burning buildings, stop car hijackers, fought gang members and rapist—"

"These people are not the same as your everyday criminals. You must understand!" Luna exclaimed venomously. "These people are built with magic like yourselves. They know who you are, both past and present. Their agendas are not petty thievery or selfish gain, but specifically geared against you. To hurt you."

"We've never been trained in this," Ami spoke sharply, her normally soft voice sounded unnaturally loud in her ears. She flinched momentarily before continuing. "Sure, we've taken some self-defense classes just in case something bad should happen, but we weren't drilled like soldiers back in our old lives."

Luna and Artemis shared a small glance. The woman pointedly stared at the young nurse, causing the girl to blush in embarrassment. Zoisite's eyes had never stopped staring at her. Luna's white fingers intertwined in front of her as she leaned forward. She closed her eyes and took a second to inhale deeply. Once her worn breath exited from her cherry balm, she brought her purple eyes back up to Ami's red face.

"You girls cannot escape this," she whispered gingerly. Her eyes scanned the circle of worried glances. "Destiny is not a fickle thing. Some people were born into riches. Some were born into poverty. Some were meant to succeed. Some were meant to fail. Some were meant to never see bloodshed while others were born into it. You are meant to fight this enemy. Since the day you were conceived, each of you was given a path.

"I understand this isn't fair. You didn't ask for this, but you must understand there are things you cannot control, no matter that you have this magic or not. It like when a small child is killed in a car accident or a holy man is riddled with cancer. You cannot escape this fight, but you can determine its end."

A wave of self-denial flowed through the five young women. None of them had honestly dreamed of this monstrosity happening to them. Sure, they had been young and had played the idea of saving the world when they had first discovered their gifts, but it had all been in fun. They had dreamed of finding their true love in their missions or saved a rich man and received a huge reward. They had even once laughed over the idea of having their own magazine and children's TV show. Not this.

To face the simple prospect made their knees shake. Under the table, the girls unconsciously reached for each others' hands. They gripped their shaking fingers and stared down at the sunflower table cloth. Some people have dreamed of the moment that would shake the foundations of their life. Subconsciously, they hear a choir singing in the background or a rush of certainty overflowing through their souls. It's as if people think that they will recognize the moment when destiny will find them. Perhaps, some do recognize the bells and whistles, but the girls couldn't hear their destiny calling. They only felt cold fear beginning to settle in their stomachs.

Ami's throat grew tight and she wondered if she had stopped breathing. She forced herself to breath deeply. Her lungs expanded, but the sensation was oddly detached.

"What do you suggest?" Ami spoke softly. Serena eyed her, a volume of emotions being shared in her worried frown. The other girls turned to their friend, waiting. Luna looked to Ami, but said nothing. She wanted to hear the petite woman again. She couldn't believe Ami had been the one to take the step forward. She thought maybe it would be Serena.

The young girl licked her dry lips and repeated louder, "What do you think we should do, Mrs. Luna?"

"I suggest you train under my supervision."

Mina balked, "Train?"

"We will begin after breakfast." Luna turned back to her meal. Diana relaxed in her seat once more and began to hungrily attack her half-empty plate. The dark haired woman smiled and affectionately ran her fingers through her daughter's silver pigtails. Her scarlet eyes softened as looked back towards the girls. "No matter what happens you will have to fight. It is best to prepare for it."

Artemis abruptly dropped his napkin on the table and pushed back his chair. His plate was completely clean to Ami's shock. Her eyes glanced towards the clock on the wall and realized it was nearly ten.

"I have to go," Artemis mumbled, giving his daughter a small peck on the cheek. Luna hastily stood up as he took a step towards the door. Ami frown when she saw a look of distress pass over the woman's face. Together they pushed over to the door, whispering in hush volumes. Zoisite refused to look up from his plate and Ami glanced at the others. Artemis smiled warmly before kissing his wife delicately on the brow. Luna clenched her husband's wrist. Her eyes dropped when he slipped from her hold and exited the quiet house.

"Did Artemis go to work?" Lita asked tentatively.

Luna spun around with a brilliant smile. She calmly settled back into her seat and passed a shaky hand over her daughter's crown. "Yes, he's been on call for the last few weeks. He got a call shortly before breakfast."

"You seem worried," Rei commented with hard eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," she grinned. "Why don't we discuss your training? There is a lot to do if we are to prepare for the NVerse."

It was so painfully obvious that the woman was lying. Even so, Ami and the others said nothing. From the way Luna's scarlet eyes were watering, they decided it was not worth pushing at the present moment. At another time, they would ask where Artemis had gone. With blurry eyes, Luna lifted her empty plate and headed towards the kitchen. Diana hastily shoveled the last of her meal into her already full mouth and dashed after her mother. The swinging door might as well have been the Great Wall of China between the girls and their host.

Lita glanced to Ami, but the intern gave a slight shake of the head. Ami's blue eyes darted towards the single male's unyielding form. After a moment, she returned her focus to the contents of her plate and began to shift the eggs with her fork. She uncovered a flowery pattern and subconsciously pushed the yellow fluff into the petal designs. She inwardly sighed at how comfortable the warm home had become. She was suddenly reminded of the cold, stiff walls of her father's mansion.

* * *

.. 

Once the dishes were done, they quickly bundled into their warmest clothes. The three bedroom house was too small for training. Luna suggested her backyard and grudgingly (well, except for Ami who adored the cold) reached for their coats and gloves. Ami was the first to get ready. She was eager to get outside and bath in the chilling air.

When her eyes caught sight of the back door, her heart skipped with happiness. She barreled outside and inhaled deeply. The house had been feeling a bit stuffy after Artemis had left. Getting out into the open snow, Ami was immediately refreshed. Her blood was strumming with anxiety.

She was so taken up with the entire scene of white and the cold air hitting her warm lungs that she didn't notice the figure leaning against the side of the house. Zoisite smiled when he saw the tension fade from her face. Her eyes slid close and she leaned her head back. The snowflakes dusted her dark hair making her look ethereal. Just like in his dreams.

He decided it was time to give up his presence or else deal with a far angrier woman. Calmly, he pushed off the siding. "You are always more comfortable out in the cold."

Ami whirled with wide, blue eyes. Zoisite couldn't stop the smile that leapt to her face at her childlike expression of being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "It's cute."

She blushed.

"Are training with us?" she asked in hope of saving herself from further embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had been caught in her moment of reveling.

"In a way," he drawled, shaking back his wild bangs. "I'm actually helping train you girls."

She gave him an incredulous look. "You? The archeologist?"

He chuckled, "Don't be like that. I have some magical skill as you are aware of, and besides that, I haven't been kneeling in dirt for the last two years."

Ami unconsciously sized up the man in front of her. He was broad shoulders with sharp eyes. Even with his heavy coat, she guessed he had a good thirty extra pounds on him in comparison to her. If they went in for hand-to-hand combat, he would have a definite advantage, especially since he was a good head taller than her. She had a better chance with him if they fought with magic.

"Be careful how you judge me."

She snapped awake, "Huh?"

The back door crashed open and the girls spilled out. Ami hastily took a few steps away from Zoisite, even though there were several yards already between them. Zoisite's eyes filled with disappointment. He casually looked away as the girls circled around his dream girl. Diana stumbled out next, engulfed in a puffy, pink ski suit. She smiled sweetly from beneath her white cap and bounced across the white yard like a giant marshmallow. Little pink mittens grabbed Ami's hand. The young woman smiled down at the small child with adoration for her chubby face.

"Mommy said I could watch you all train as long as someone kept an eye on me. She tugged viciously on the woman's bare fingers. "Will you watch me, Princess?"

Ami held back the grimace she felt at being called 'Princess.' She forced the grin to light up her face. She didn't want the Diana to think she would hate having her around. "I would love to, but only if you promise to call me, Ami."

Diana's pink eyes grew wide with excitement. She had been told over and over again by her parents to speak very formerly with the Princess. She had never dreamed she would be able to talk to the Princess so personally. "Oh yes! Thank you!"

"Thank you…?"

"Thank you, Ami," Diana squealed with glee. The door open, this time at a more lethargic pace, and revealed their expected hostess dressed in a bright yellow ski suit. She smiled brilliantly as everyone looked into her direction.

"Well, lets get to it," she declared before striding forward. Diana immediately began tugging Ami after her mother. The girls laughed at the intern hunched over state and followed close behind. Zoisite quietly took up the rear as the party headed towards the far back wall of the yard's seven-foot-tall, wooden fence. The marched straight through the white blanket of frost, pass the picnic table and swing set. Ami was surprised when Luna didn't stop in the small clearing next to the fence. Instead, their host brought her nose inches away from the wooden surface. She coolly placed her palm against one of the beams and pushed it aside. They leaned in with curiosity as the woman slid through the gap in the fence. Before she had disappeared out of sight, she looked over her shoulders at her attentive crowd. "Follow me."

There were a handful of reasons to disobey the woman's command. All of the reasons, however, dealt with that gnawing feeling of distrust something the women had already ruled out. Thus, they followed, without question, the beautiful woman behind the fence into a place that was as unknown to them as the mysteries of Narnia. Ami half-expected to pass through the fence and land in another timeline.

Stepping into the gap, Ami was slightly disappointed to find only a snow covered woodland behind the mighty fence. Her eyes carefully scanned the area, spotting small landmarks of rocks and frozen brooks. She didn't see any wildlife, but that was to be expected during the cold months. Luna pressed forward through the tall trees on an invisible path. Her dark hair and yellow outfit was hard to miss in the white landscape.

"Hurry up, now." She called over her shoulder. Diana tugged again on the young intern's hand and Ami adhered to the child's demands.

For good fifteen or twenty minutes, they walked through the winter wonderland. Ami and the girls were a little unnerved with the silence of the forest. With the wildlife hidden away from frost and the world covered in the pearly blanket, the dark skeleton of trees looked like bars of prison. Unconsciously, they formed a single file line, matching each footstep their hostess made. They were terrified to disturb the pearly world and somehow gain the wrath of the tense forest. The limbs whispered overhead, but even that sounded like a warning to the party.

It reminded them of a scene from a horror film. Mina, with her wild imagination, could suddenly envision Luna turning around with an ax and making the white snow darken with blood. Mina nearly leapt out of her skin when Luna whirled around with a wide smile that looked strangely deranged. She instinctively snatched Serena's hands and cowered behind her friend.

"Let's begin," Luna exclaimed, whipping up her arm to display the clearing the girls had failed to notice ahead of the woman. Ami was quite satisfied to see the woman's choice. The size of the clearing was at least a third of a professional baseball field with only a few large rocks scattered through the snow. "We'll start off with one-on-one combat for now. How about you, Lita and Rei, start off?"

The two girls blinked awake, having been momentarily examining their surroundings. "Er…sure."

Ami's eyes narrowed as she watched her two friends stiffly walk out into the clearing. _'This is going to be interesting.'_

"Come on, Ami!" Diana pulled her off to the side without warning. The nurse stumbled awkwardly behind her. Her thin tennie shoes dared to slide in the shallow drifts, searching for a way to pull her down, but Ami luckily kept her balance. Those many years of mission work in three-inch-heels had definitely helped her equilibrium. When the small child settled on a spot near the center sidelines, she jerked to a halt and began to hop on her toes. "Oh, I can't wait!"

Ami straightened with a small sigh and refocused on the two girls has they squared off against each other. Ami definitely would have put all her money on Rei for the fight. Lita was too far away from any source of electricity to use her magic. Rei at least had her lighter. Sure, Lita was better when it came to unarmed combat, but her fists wouldn't stop a fireball.

"Who do you think will win, Ami?" Diana whispered. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

"I think Rei will."

The other girls settled alongside the nurse and little girl while Zoisite kept off to the side. His eyes darted back the way they came to make sure they hadn't been followed. Luna wasn't concerned with followers. They were a few miles away from her neighbors' yards and a good mile from her street. She hadn't bought the house just for its good looks. When she had heard there was stretch of uninhabited forest out back of the land she had been planning to purchase, she had known she had found the perfect spot for training. She and her husband had been very careful in placing warning charms around the small clearing in case someone should accidentally stumble on them. She knew her neighbors went hiking out here, but most stayed in because of February's regular ice storms. The last week had been lacking in bad weather so hopefully no one had dared to step out a take a hike. Even if they did, the charms would give her plenty of warning.

Luna eyed the two girls. "Start whenever you're ready."

"Um…" Lita slip into a tense stance. "Did you want to give any advice to us first? I mean I'm at a serious disadvantage out here."

Ami looked to Luna as the woman frowned.

"The NVerse will not excuse your limitations," Luna stated evenly. "You must learn to deal with it."

Lita gaped, "Deal with it? I'm going up against a giant blow torch."

Luna shrugged, "You want to learn now or when the NVerse corners you?"

"But what am I suppose to do?"

"Improvise," Rei growled as she ripped out her cherry red lighter. The symbol for passion glared back at Lita from the metal Zippo.

"Aw, come on!" Lita grumbled as she lifted her fists. "Are you serious?"

Rei snapped open her lighter with a quick flick of her thumb. The tiny flame might as well been a death threat written in blood across the brunette's forehead. Lita let out a loud curse as she lurched to the side. The jet fire skimmed the edge of her vinyl green coat and blackened the edge.

Lita rolled onto her knees. Flipping her ponytail out of her eyes, the brunette saw another blast of flames charging at her. She quickly scrambled to her feet and struck towards the nearest tree. Rei raced after her.

Ami took a step towards them. She would have to make sure they didn't engulf the forest in flames.

Lita ducked behind the wide trunk and frantically sought for an idea. When she was in high school, she had been in an International Combat Club. She had joined the club because she had come from a rough neighborhood. Though she was only an intermediate fighter, she was still further advanced in hand-to-hand then the rest of the girls. That was her only edge in her present fight. She needed to use it.

Rei was around the trunk before Lita could think beyond her random fighting styles. The priestess stretched out her lighter. Green eyes widened and Lita threw herself to the ground. Another wave of gold heat flew over her. Luna stiffened on the edge of the clearing.

Lita dug her toes into the mud and snow. She scampered towards the next tree, trying to gain a shield from the onslaught of fire. _'This is going to be over in a minute if I don't think of something.'_

As she sprinted pass the tree and headed for the next, she spread out her gift across the clearing. She searched desperately for a flicker of electrical life. She needed her gift to win this!

Red and gold flashed in front of her face and the young woman slid to a halt. Her hands went up on reflex and she stumbled backwards. The fire quickly race around her, attempting to surround the woman. Lita began hauling herself backwards. She slipped and fell into a roundhouse. Landing back on her feet, Lita did a 180 and charged the priestess. Rei had been busy concentrating on surrounding the other woman with a pillar of flame and was taken off guard when Lita charged.

_'Good Lita,'_ Ami inwardly praised. _'You won't win by being the target. You stand a better chance in a close range fight.'_

Rei tried to readjust and widened her stance. Lita grinned and dropped onto her back. With her momentum and slick ground, the brunette woman slid easily through the other woman's legs. The flames dissipated as Rei lost concentration while swiveling to meet her opponent. Lita took the momentary distraction to make a high kick as she passed out of her friend's legs, and she knocked the lighter out of the priestess' hand.

_'That's right. Take out her lighter and you level the field.'_

Lita got to her knees as Rei watched her lighter disappear into a shallow drift of white fluff. The priestess struck off for her weapon, but Lita was quick to stop her. She slapped a vice-hand around the woman's ankle and yanked. Rei screeched as she toppled forward. Her face collided with the snow as Lita tried to crawl over her.

"Stop!"

The girls froze. Lita was hunched over the sprawled out priestess, the black crown pushing against her chin. Their legs were tangled while their arms were outstretched for the unseen lighter. Lita had pressed her knee into Rei's lower back and twisted her arm backwards. The girls turned wide eyes to Luna as the dark haired woman marched into the circle. Her scarlet eyes where full of confusion as her long legs clad in yellow shuffled through the snow drifts. Rei and Lita hastily untangled as the woman came to tower over them. She stared down her nose at the pair. "Lita, what are you doing?"

That definitely weren't prepared for that question.

Lita all, but gaped at the woman. "Excuse me?"

"You've had more than ample opportunities to fight. I didn't tell you to go easy on Rei."

"Easy?!" Lita stuttered, eyes wide. "Didn't you see me?!"

Luna switched focused on to the dark haired priestess who was staring blankly at her roommate. Her face immediately turned when she felt her hostess' gaze weighing on her. Luna braced her palms against her hips. "And what's with the lighter? Is it some kind of joke?"

Fiery arrows almost leapt out of the priestess's glare. "Would you actually think we would be joking around when we know how serious things are?"

"Then what are you doing?" Luna snapped.

Diana clenched Ami's hand a little tighter when her mother yelled. The nurse stared tensely at the scene. "Mrs. Luna, they're trying as hard they can."

Surprise eyes swiveled towards the nurse. Having hunched over when she had let loose her fury on the girls, Luna slowly straightened to properly stare across the clearing at the stiff woman. Her gaze narrowed marginally, "That can't possibly be true. Lita hasn't even thrown a lightning bolt yet."

Lita frowned and glanced towards Ami.

"But how am I supposed to do that?" the brunette grumbled. "There isn't an outlet within a mile."

The cat woman was in mid-turn, ready to assault the kneeling woman with another onslaught of words, when she froze. Her hard face slackened and her hands unclenched. Luna licked her dry lips as cold dread settled over her, "Are you saying you girls don't know how to create your elements?"

The stretch of quiet breeze in her ears made the woman's stomach drop. The girls lowered their eyes and Luna gulped on the cold air. If they did not know that simple tool, then they were outdone. The NVerse…

No…Luna viciously shook her head. No, she was missing something here. They had to know how to create their elements. They were the Senshi. They were the most powerful beings in the galaxy, no matter if they had forgotten or not.

Forgotten…

They_had_ forgotten themselves. Perhaps, their skill was buried in their subconscious along with their memories. If their memories could unravel the secrets of using their gifts—

But that was impossible to be done. They were reincarnated souls. Memories of past lives did not follow the souls. Luna hesitated though when she thought of Ami and Zoisite's dreams. Maybe there was still a way to excavate the memories from…somewhere.

"Actually, Serena knows how."

Luna blinked. "Knows what?"

Mina stepped closer to her blonde girlfriend, "How to create her element."

Serena nodded alongside her.

Purple eyebrows rose. Luna shifted towards the girl. "Do you? What is your element?"

"Well, I really don't know," Serena chuckled lightly. Her cheeks began to turn rosy as she grew anxious under the hostess' hard gaze. "It's hard to explain…"

Her voice trailed off as Luna's look turned incredulous. Serena's shoulders dropped in embarrassment. The girls smiled knowingly. Serena able to coax a smile out of the angriest person, but when it came to articulating profound words, the woman's hair color seemed very apparent. "I…"

Luna sighed, "How about you show me?"

Serena shifted into a more comfortable position and sat up a little straighter. Lifting her palm face up, she commanded the attention of the clearing. Her softness in her blue eyes faded and was replaced by stony determination. In a mere sway of the breeze, a round, golden light flared in her cradle of her palm. The glow stretched out from the pale fingertips, making the heavenly whiteness that surrounded the party of people become bleak. Gold reflected in scarlet as Luna unconsciously leaned closer.

"Oh my…" she whispered. Her long fingers were drawn to the light. Slowly, a strange heat caressed her skin, seeping deep into the cold ache into her bones. It was as if she was touching a summer day or….

Luna's eyes narrowed. Something in the back of her mind stirred at the touch of warmth. There was a shadow in her memories that flashed. The light she was seeing was familiar.

_'Of course, it's familiar, silly,'_ the woman inwardly scolded. _'She is one of the Senshi. I would have seen her element.'_

She shook away the uneasy feeling in her stomach and carefully straightened. Serena dowsed the light and looked up expectantly at their teacher. Luna innocently smiled, "You're element is energy."

Ami studied Serena's profile, "Energy? I suppose that could be it."

"Its heat reminds me of the sun," Luna commented. "Her element could be light energy or something along that line to be more exact."

Mina shrugged, "Whatever. The point is she can create her element while we have to manipulate what's already surrounding us."

Crossing her arms, Luna nodded, "Her element is more evasive in her surroundings. I suppose that is why she creates it so freely."

"I disagree," Rei interrupted. "My element is fire. There aren't a lot of fires going on around me with electricity dominating this day and age."

Ami shrugged, "True, but you've lived in a shrine all your life, Rei. You were always burning incense and candles."

"And you've even use campfires in your meditations," Serena added jovially.

Rei sunk a little deeper into the snowdrift. She was a little perturbed that Serena had outthought her yet again. She was a brunette for goodness sakes! Ami smiled when she saw the priestess's disgruntle expression.

"It would be best either way that Serena would continue as teacher," Luna chirped.

"What?!"

"Me?"

"Why shouldn't we—"

"Not meatball head—"

"Okay."

The girls faced the nurse as she lifted her chin and stated a little louder, "Okay. Sounds like a good idea."

Rei scowled up at their hostess, "Why shouldn't you teach us?"

"I'll assist," Luna replied. "But my gift is a little different from you girls. I'm not sure if they work on the same principles."

Lita was doubtful. "Shouldn't we continue with hand-to-hand? I mean is it really important to be learning on how to create our elements? We've rarely had problems with finding a source I guess you could call it."

"It's important." Luna wearily paced in front of the women, remembering her most recent excursions with the dark soldiers. "The NVerse will exploit every weakness you have. You are stronger than them. You just haven't reach your full potential as of yet. That is what we must work towards."

The girls looked to one another, searching for any sign of disagreement. Personally, they were as clueless about the situation as the next girl, but they would not do anything without a group agreement. Regardless, that they had already agreed to their hostess being their unspoken leader. Lita looked up at the woman with hard determination.

"If that's what you think." She stated with heaviness.

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement. Deciding they could do little more in the cold weather, they party left the winter scene. Though time was wasted in the long hike to and from the clearing, the girls could not deny the outstanding idea of creating their elements. They were all very anxious to continue their _lessons_ and began chattering excitedly on the way back to the house. Zoisite smiled from behind the girls as he gave Diana a piggy-back ride. Luna kept to the rear with a pensive glower. Her entire focus was on two girls huddled up to each other to the far side of the gaggle. Serena was hugging on Ami's arm, fretting over whether she would be a good teacher for the group. The blue-haired nurse was trying her best to console her friend while the priestess shouted out horrible insults at the blonde. Luna was still very concern with that gnawing feeling in the back of her brain. Unfortunately, she didn't know what the feeling meant.

* * *

**_A/N: Some random sweetness between the girls and a little cliffee. Hmmm. I know all the answers, but its fun to watch you all squirm:) Sorry!_**


	17. Hanging Between the Sky and the Earth

_**A/N: Not much to say. Been dealing with moving to a new state, two jobs, heavy videotography work, and keeping my sanity.**  
_

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_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

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_Chapter 17: Hanging Between the Sky and Earth_

* * *

..

It had been a very disappointing two months. Their intense training had turned into a weak, fizzle of little success. Though Serena had proven to be very passionate in her efforts to teach the rest of the girls how to create their elements, not a single one of them had been able to produce more than a short second of success. Lita had been able to make a small flash of light and Ami was able to produce a swirl of water droplets. Sadly, both episodes were fleeting and unattainable to repeat a second time. Mina's gift was excused as impossible to test since gravity was in abundance around them. Instead, she had spent her training time under Zoisite's guidance to learn how to focus her gift. Out of the five, Mina was the one with the least control. It was very difficult to battle against the natural gravity of an entire planet. Rei, sadly, was a tight coil of anger. She hadn't been able to pull a flame out of air yet and was growing beyond frustrated. Believing that if she found a peace in her soul, she would be able to produce a flame, she spent her hours of training in meditation. Unfortunately, her time of solace would eventually mount into throbbing headaches and ancient curses.

* * *

..

_After the third week._

_Ami leaned against the wall and groaned, "We've been going at this for five hours. Maybe we should take a break?"_

_Lita and Rei moaned in agreement. The brunette wasted no time in lying down flat on her back and closing her eyes. Serena, who had been previously pacing, whirled around. "No, no! I feel it! You all are so close!"_

_Rei rolled her eyes upwards and glared. "Nothing is different from yesterday. We've gotten no where."_

_"No, Lita was able to do a little flare," Serena rushed. _

_Rei looked away with a frown. Lita shook her head and grumbled, "That was eight days ago. I haven't been able to bring it back."_

_Ami watched Serena shy away from the girls. She crossed her arms and continued pacing. Ami could tell she was agitated about the situation as they were. She blew her blonde hair out of her eyes and took a tense stance in the corner of the living room. "How about we go over again what you Lita were thinking about when you made the flare?" _

_The brunette ran her hand across her face, "I was just concentrating on my hands. Trying to remember what it felt to have the electricity jump from my fingertips."_

_Ami looked down at her hands. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, feeling her muscles shift under her skin. _

_"But that's no different then what we've been told to do for the last three weeks," Lita grumbled as she sat back up. She crossed her arms over her knees and pressed her forehead into her forearms. They heard her let out a muffled sigh, "I don't know what I did differently that day. It didn't feel different from any other day we were training."_

_The heavy sense of lose settled on their shoulders. There wasn't much more to try. Serena had instructed them time and again that it took concentration to open her element. That's what they needed to do: concentrate. Unfortunately, Serena's key didn't seem to fit the locks to opening each of the other girls' elements._

* * *

A full month of endless failures had gotten to the women. For several days, they refused to train, worn out on disappointment. Luna tried to smooth out the wrinkles in their depressed demeanor. She offered encouraging words and warm cookies, but the girls didn't change. They circled the small home like buzzards, trying to find things to busy their minds. Serena and Mina spent most of their time trying new hairstyles from the magazines Artemis brought home for them. Rei kept to meditation, Lita to cooking and cleaning, and Ami read as many books as she could find.

Cabin fever shortly settled on the girls. They were never allowed out because the NVerse might discover their location. It was doubtful an innocent run to the grocery store would get the girls spotted, but Luna and Artemis were adamant of keeping a low profile. They didn't say it out loud, but the girls guessed that the NVerse was sniffing in the area. Even though the girls were on lockdown, the cat family and Zoisite was, however, free to go and come as they please. Diana was picked up every morning by the school bus and Zoisite went out as much as possible to run errands for the house since it was unlikely the NVerse knew of them. Jared had seen his face, but Zoisite said it was unlikely the general would remember anything from the short meeting. Luna kept to the house as much as the girls for unsaid reasons.

Artemis was rarely seen if ever. For the first week, they had only seen him at supper time. He would walk inside at exactly seven o'clock and sit down with a warm smile, but in the second week, he didn't appear except every other day. Soon he was gone for an entire week and the girls no longer knew what to think about the man's disappearances. During his lengthy absence, Luna was anxiously glancing at the clock and doubling her house cleaning efforts. She almost rubbed the grain out of the piano bench. Ami assumed Artemis was off keeping tabs on the NVerse, but Luna never admitted to it.

Finally by the middle of the second month, Luna gave into the girls pleas and allowed them to venture out into her small town. They were encouraged, however, to go out in sets of two. All of them together brought too much attention and no one liked the idea of anyone going out alone. After a couple of weeks with no sightings of dark soldiers, the girls grew confident and sparingly would, only if necessary, got out in singles.

In a matter of few days, life became less like a dream. The small town became less like a hideout and more of a home. They began to think of their large gathering for meals as family time. Diana became like the little sister and Luna was their caretaker. They had not forgotten their real families, but the days became easier to deal with if they thought of themselves as not prisoners of a witness protection program.

Being the kind, warm girls that they were, it wasn't hard to set up a daily routine to the household. At six-thirty, Lita and Ami would run a few miles through the neighborhood. Zoisite would prepare breakfast while Luna got Diana ready for school. Everyone would be around the table by seven-fifteen. Diana would be on the bus by a quarter till eight. Luna forced the girls to return to training after two weeks of lag. After breakfast, there was a quick rotation of showers followed by rigorous training. While the girls were busy, Luna would clean house and prepare a list of errands for Zoisite to do in town that afternoon. Lunch was always at noon followed by a short break for the girls. Zoisite would disappear during break time, but he would always return before supper. By two, the girls were back on training. Dinnertime varied depending on the day, but at latest they would finish the day at nine.

At present moment, Ami had taken off on her own like she normally did during her breaks. Today, she had ducked out of the house and went to the local library. For the last week, she had been spending her free time there (since they had resumed their hopeless training) by trying to sort out her theories about their mystical situation. Her mind had been buzzing for weeks now and she had been starving to find some outlet for her busy brain. Whenever she became overwhelmed with circling thoughts, she would read until her brain slowed. It was always relaxing to feel the hardback cover in her fingers and smell of old pages. Perhaps, a better solution for her present hysteria would have been to create a journal to organize her thoughts and build her theories, but unfortunately, her wild thoughts were circulating around a story that could only be honestly be compared to a myth. How was she supposed to face a myth scientifically? She had been trying to unravel her supernatural genes for the last decade and she had proven unsuccessful. How was she supposed to work through a myth that had no scientifically elements to calculate? It was like reading smokes and mirrors.

So instead of working out her thoughts in a journal, she had settled for the quiet shelves of the public library. She had been satisfied for the first week reading medical journals. Sadly by the third week, her nose was buried in any book that cross referenced to mystical legends. Her nerves steadily became frazzled as she finished another book that offered no mention of the Senshi. She searched the entire section on legends from big foot to UFOs.

Her last hope was placed in the electronic card catalog. When she typed in numerous words with no credible lead, she began daydreaming about pounding her head into the nearest wall. She sighed harshly as she stared at the evil white screen. She had tried words like "Senshi," "Millennium Kingdom," "Negaverse," and "Silver Crystal." Nothing had worked. She glared at the blinked slash in the search engine on the monitor.

There was one word she was avoiding because she knew it would bring up a million useless titles. She was quite sick of searching and didn't want to shuffle through a thousand more titles, but she knew this was her last chance. If this proved to bring nothing to the forefront, then she would give up on her fruitless hopes and return to her useless medical journals. With a weary heart, her fingers typed in the last word: _Moon Princess_.

As she waited for the computer to finish its electronic search, she scanned the quiet library. It was relatively empty with only a handful of people passing through the aisles. Most of the faces were familiar from her last month of visits. The ones who were unfamiliar didn't appear to be at all interested in her presence. They would pass her with only the smallest of glances before chasing after their own personal searches. Ami didn't feel the least bit vulnerable inside the library, being that she was in a familiar atmosphere. She did love libraries.

In a short minute, the computer listed over five hundred possible titles. Ami groaned softly at the number. It would take her at least forty minutes or so before she would get half-way through the list. She glanced at her watch and saw she still had two hours before the library closed. She hoped she could get through it and still have time to search the shelves. The librarians wouldn't be very excited to see her dawdling the last few minutes if their long shifts and tomorrow the library would be closed since it would be Sunday.

Taking a deep breath, Ami began to scan the top of the list. As she had suspected, most of the titles were related to either historical princesses or astronomical subjects. It was like the world was laughing at her. She went through seven pages in thirty minutes before her eyes read a title that made her blink in surprise.

_'The Nine Princesses and the Crystal Rose?'_ Ami read silently. With a raised eyebrow, she clicked on the title. The computer responded by pulling up a small summary and catalog information. _'Children's Books Section. A fairytale about Nine Princesses who were chosen by the Fates to take care of a precious Silver Rose that had the power to protect the Heavens…'_

"Nine Princesses? Protect the Heavens?"

It could be possible that the myth she was looking for was a simply children's story. The summary had some similarities. There were nine Senshi. The Silver Rose could refer to the Silver Crystal the Negaverse wanted.

Ami tapped the edge of keyboard, debating to simply write down the card catalog number and find the book after she finished going through the list. She glanced towards the racks on the far side of the library that were colored in bright pastels. It would only take a minute to glance at the book. Besides, it would give her break from the computer and there were over a dozen other computers for people to use. She doubted anyone would mess with her computer and remove the list.

She wrote down the information on a scrap of paper and pushed away from the monitor. Quietly, she walked through the short row of shelves. It didn't take long to find the pale pink spine. Ami double-checked the time as she pulled the book from the shelf. She still had over an hour. She stared down at the cover of a glittery, silver rose engraved into a thin metallic cover.

_'A little odd for a children's book cover.'_

She shrugged and flipped it over. The book was thin. That was normal for a kid's book. Ami turned it back to the front and opened to the title page. The type was very elegant with many curves and lengthy pen marks. Ami frowned when she realized the type was handwritten. She reexamined the page, rubbing the pad of her thumb against the edge. The page was worn, either from age or the volume of use. She ignored the uneasy feeling rising in her and flipped to the first page.

The first page was the same flowing text, all hand written. It was small compared to the size type normally found in a children's book. On the opposite page was a black and white drawing of a garden with a gigantic rose in the center. She was entranced by the beautiful artwork. There were such fine details in the drawing. She could see the crease in the petals and the water droplets slipping down the thorny stems. Her blue eyes returned to the passage.

_"Once upon a time, peace consumed the Heavens and the Starry Kingdoms were living in prosperity. There was one kingdom out of all the stars that reigned as the greatest power, the Silver Crystal Kingdom."_

"Interesting…" Ami mumbled.

_"No one knew what the secret was to the great kingdom's glory, but it was suspected that the kingdom's power was contained in a delicate, crystal rose entrusted to the Queen of the Silver Crystal Kingdom. It was a sacred flower, which few were ever graced to view. The Silver Crystal, as the flower was called—"_

"The Silver Crystal?" Ami gasped softly. Her blue eyes widened as her grip on the book tightened. Could it be possible she was holding the manuscript that was writing her life?

_"The Silver Crystal, as the flower was called, held enormous power and was the sole protection against evil forces. It was passed down through the royal line as the precious treasure of the Silver Kingdom."_

She turned the page and found a picture of a faceless woman cupping the delicate rose in her palms. There was a strong light pouring out of her hands. Behind her were several other faceless women, surrounding the unknown woman in a circle.

_"For centuries, the kingdom was safe along with the Nine Heavenly Houses that supported the royal family. Peace does not last forever without being challenged, and with rumors of darkness growing in the corner of the universe, the stars began to shiver with fear. The Queen of the Silver Kingdom pleaded to the Fates, asking if her peaceful realm was endangered. The Three Sisters touched down from the stars and told the Queen her kingdom was doomed to fall. Her only hope was to find a champion to yield the royal treasure and defend the Heavenly realm. The Sisters of Fates told her it would many years before the Evil of the Universe would bear down on her. She was to choose a girl and train her to be the protector. She was to be called the Moon Princess."_

"Oh my…" She stared down at the words, unable to believe what was written in front of her face. She reread the lines, thinking she had drifted off and dreamed up what she was seeing inside the innocent children's book. Surely, it was some mistake. The world tipped when she found the words had not magically changed. "It's real...but how?"

"How what?"

Ami screeched loudly as the gentle voice wafted into her ear. She cupped over her mouth in embarrassment and whirled on Zoisite's smiling face. The librarians at the circulation desk glared pointedly at the pair, making Ami's turn deep red.

Zoisite chuckled softly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, Mouse."

Ami's blue eyes darted back to him at the sound of her forgotten nickname. Her eyebrows pinched together in mild irritation. "Would you please call me Ami?"

His eyes danced. "And miss the way you get all peeved when I call you, Mouse? Not on your life."

She involuntarily rolled her eyes.

Zoisite glanced downwards with a smile, "Is that for Diana or have you gotten bored of your reference books?"

"Oh well, I…" she trailed off, looking between him and the metallic book cover. "I was actually doing some research."

Zoisite frowned and stepped up closer to look over her shoulder. Ami sucked in a silent breath as his cologne filled her nostrils. He was so close to her. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice he was making her uncomfortable.

"_The Nine Princesses and the Crystal Rose?_" He read with a sound of surprise. He turned to her, coming dangerously closer to her red face. His nose accidentally bumped her cheek and she jumped back in surprise. Her heel hit one of the tiny pink chairs circling the children's reading tables.

"Sorry," she mumbled, catching the flash of slight disappointment in his eyes. "You startled me."

He shrugged, hands shoved deep in his pocket. "So what's with the book?"

Ami stared at him for a moment, studying the shadows in his eyes. For the last month, it had been very awkward between the two of them. She had done her best not to make it painfully obvious, but Ami was sure he noticed she had been avoiding him. She treated him with the same politeness she would a house guest. Always warm and friendly, but reserve. She didn't offer more than what was expected. If he offered to spend further private time with her, she simply would decline with some slippery excuse. She would dance around the rooms in the house to keep the chance of running into him a minimal. He probably thought she was afraid of him.

It was more like she was afraid of herself while he was around her. Her great weakness, besides a double chocolate latte, was social interaction. She had always been shy around new people and often got tongue tied. With him, her shyness magnified ten times. Like most girls in spring, she got flustered and lost control of her vocal cords whenever he entered room. Her eyes unconsciously would follow the contours of his face, trying to remember what she saw in her flashbacks, but she would always hide her eyes whenever he barely turned into her direction. She wasn't only nervously. She was afraid. She was afraid of the embodiment of what he was to her; a past she didn't want.

Ami looked away from the man's unhappy expression, fairly ashamed with her feelings roaring against him. She knew she was acting on her emotions. Trying to disregard the swell of anxiety that was connected to him had been impossible. Perhaps, if she better understood why she was so bothered with him, she would keep better handle over herself. Maybe she could stand being in a room for him for more than five minutes.

* * *

..

_Three days ago…_

_"Maybe you should try and become friends with him?" _

_"Huh?" Ami looked up from the newspaper, her reading glasses sliding down to the tip of her nose. "What'cha say?"_

_Serena shook her head. Sometimes Ami could be so clueless. Serena leaned her head back up against the flowery cushions, getting a much better look at her girlfriend stretched across the sofa. Blue eyes looked down at her with eyebrows raised. . _

_"Maybe you should try being his friend," Serena repeated, slower. _

_Ami gave her skeptical look and returned to the front page headlines, "Why?"_

_Serena shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not?"_

_"Because I don't want him to think I'm offering him hope of a relationship," she replied. _

_Serena growled lowly before whirling around and pressing her elbow into the cushions. Ami ignored the obvious bait to look up. She continued to read the article discussing the middle school science fair exhibit. Someone had one first prize by creating their own miniature tornado. Serena frowned at her friend's lack of care. _

_"You're not going to be attacked and dragged to an ambush wedding," Serena grunted, her fingers gripping into the flowery pattern. "Is it really so hard to be accommodating?"_

_Ami shifted in her seat, never looking up. "That's a big word so early in the morning, Serena. You usually aren't the early bird."_

_"Don't change the subject, Ames."_

_"What would you say if I told you it is hard to be friendly to him?"_

_"But why?" Serena exclaimed. Ami jumped at her volume and swiveled her eyes towards the main entrance of the living room. _

_"Keep your voice down," the intern hissed._

_"Tell me what is your problem, then," Serena whispered. She didn't care if anyone heard them. She wanted to Ami to stop running away. She didn't want to see her revert to the girl she once was after Greg. Ami looked away and stared down at the paper, but she wasn't able to read it. Serena's shoulders drooped. "Why are you so afraid of him? He's not a bad guy, Ames. Not one thing he has done has told me you should be wary."_

_"You never see anything wrong in a person," Ami accused half-heartedly. _

_"Is it Greg?"_

_"…No."_

_"Your parents?"_

_Ami lifted her head. "I still haven't got a hold of my mom. You think Luna would let me call her?"_

_"Don't change the subject."_

_"And we still haven't heard from Amara—"_

_"Ami!"The young intern turned to her, and Serena searched her dim eyes with a sinking heart. "What is it that bothers you so much about him?"_

_Ami momentarily looked to the floor. She thought of the man and felt her heart race. Her chest was binding tight, making it difficult to think straight. With an uneven sigh, she whispered, "I… don't like the idea that he's so obsessed with me."_

_"I wouldn't call him obsessed—"_

_"I keep thinking that he's blindly running after me and he's not thinking things through."_

_Serena gave her a sympathetic look. "Sometimes you don't need to think about the logic of things. You just trust what you feel."_

_Ami laughed harshly, tears springing in her eyes. "That's about what Greg said to me when he fell in love with Beryl."_

_Serena's heart broke when she saw the tears slid down her friend's cheeks. She pulled herself up onto the couch and wrapped her friend up into her arms. She kissed her temple and pressed her cheek into her crown like she would a daughter. "I'm sorry that it hurts. I know it hard for you deal with this, but please don't shut him out. He doesn't deserve it."_

_The world seemed to tip beneath them. Ami inhaled deeply and the world became steady again. Her face became blank as she slowly wiped away her tears. Serena pulled back to get a better view of her friend. There was no longer in lines of sorrow or fear, only calm resolution. Ami had replaced her comfortable wall of solitude. For the millionth time, Serena wondered if that wall she saw in the girl's eyes was better or worse for the young woman's trouble soul. _

_"You're right," Ami gasped, eyes flashing with barely restrained emotions. She was able to put up her unfeeling expression, but her heart was been tugged in every direction. Her jaw clenched. "He has done nothing to deserve my rudeness."_

_Serena reached over and gripped Ami's hand. Her blue eyes studied the intern's profile. "At least try to be his friend. Give him that much."_

* * *

..

Ami had been torn since her short talk with Serena. For the last three days, she had been anxious about the next time she would see him. She had been brainstorming ways to break the ice between her and Zoisite. She had finally decided the best way to ask it out for a friendly cup of coffee and warm conversation. Maybe if she got to know the present man separated from the past life, she might be able to calm down around him. She wasn't terrified of the male gender, just the man who was obsessed with her.

Unfortunately, her genius idea had been growing stale since she had not seen him the entire three days. He had lately been skipping training sessions with Mina and more than once he had miss meals. Luna had made no comment about his disappearance so Ami had not been concerned. However, when she had found he was absent for the third time in row for breakfast, Ami had been curious to know why both males of the house were playing hide-and-go-seek. It was another reason why Zoisite had recently frightened her. His sudden appearance had been no where near expected.

"So what's with the kid's book?" Zoisite lightly prodded. "Is it for Diana or were you bored of your heavy reference books?"

"Oh, well…" She was becoming fidgeting again. She had noticed there were gold flecks in his green iris and her heart beat faster as she became swallowed in his gaze. The book kept switching arms. "It's not much. I just ran upon it during some research."

His jade eyes lightened to her delight. They looked so much nicer when they weren't shadowed. He chuckled, "Research? Might I ask what type of research would draw you to the children's corner?"

She tried to laugh casually like he did, but it ended up sounded shaky. She was forced to fake cough to save face. She ran her fingers through her bangs as a distraction, but it ending up bringing her focus towards the shake in her fingers. "Well, I was trying to see if there was anything that might relate to the Silver Millennium story."

His eyebrows jumped, "Really? What have you found out?"

"I'm honestly not sure," Ami became a little steadier when her mind focused on the book. Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she held out the book to the last page she had been reading.

Zoisite briefly scanned the page, his body growing still. "This does look amazingly similar."

Ami tentatively stepped closer. She kept a good six inches between them, but it was still much close than she normally allowed. She tried her best to appear calm as she looked over his shoulder to point to the drawing. "I'm not sure if it's very accurate. Luna never said anything about the Three Sisters."

Zoisite flipped back to the page before and studied the first drawing. "Luna did say her memories were in pieces when she awoke from her frozen sleep. Perhaps, she never remembered who those three women represented."

Ami tilted her head. "Anything is possible. I'm still skeptical."

Zoisite laughed, "You would be."

Ami's eyes snapped up, "Excuse me?"

"No disrespect," he said quickly. True apologize flared in his smoky eyes. "I was making a small observation."

The young girl was tempted to say a curt response, but changed her mind. She was supposed to be making friends with the man. A small offhand comment was necessary to squabble over.

"Whatever," she mumbled, turning back to the book. Zoisite relaxed once she had softened her glare. He was really doing a bad job of making her upset.

Ami flipped a few pages ahead. "This is actually the first lead I've had in the several weeks."

Zoisite was surprise, "Really? Where have you've been looking?"

Ami gave him a cold look.

Zoisite gulped, "Well, you're telling me you weren't able to find anything in this entire library beside a children's book."

The young woman rolled her eyes and tugged the book out of his hands. "Well, this isn't the Library of Congress or anything. There's not much here, but yes, I've searched from archeology to mysticism and found nothing. I was ready to give up when I stumbled over this title in the databases."

Zoisite frowned as he stared down at the book in her hands. "It could still be helpful even though it is a children's story. Maybe you should bring it to Luna and see if it jogs any of her loss memories."

Ami blinked, astounded. "That's a good idea, Zoisite. Thank you."

His face cracked into the warmest smile she had yet to on his face. She immediately blushed. "You're welcome."

She glanced to the clock and realized she only had a half hour left till the library closed. "I might as well head back to the house."

She started towards the circulation desk with Zoisite in tow. She had barely taken five steps when she abruptly stopped and whirled back around to the startled man. "I forgot. I don't have a library card here."

Another smile appeared on the man's face as he dug into his back pocket. "I'm glad I ran into you, then. You can borrow mine."

He pulled out the card out of his wallet while Ami stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

Ami gently took the card. "I just realized something. Why did you come here, Zoisite?"

"Oh," he rushed. "Luna sent me to retrieve you. She knew you girls weren't holding training this afternoon so she wasn't worried about how long you had been out, but she was concerned about you walking back home in the late evening. The sun is almost set."

Ami smacked her forehead.

"Stupid, Ami." She mumbled. "Sorry, I got completed absorbed in the computer."

"Serena said you would do that," he chuckled, plucking the book and card from her hands. He passed her by and handed the objects to the elderly woman behind the counter. "That's why they sent me."

Ami shifted on her feet several feet away. She cursed herself for forgetting the time. Sure, nothing had happened in the last two months, but the NVerse could arrive at anytime. One wrong step and she could be back at those labs. The thought made a cold shiver run up her spine.

She suddenly remembered the coldness of the floors, the blackness of the room, and the loneliness. Random flashes raced through in a frightened blink. Her hand went up to her throat, thinking back to the time when the mask had been on her face and she couldn't breath. Her heart was thundering.

"You okay?"

Her eyes darted up. She saw Zoisite looking at her with deep concern. "You're breathing hard and you're shaking."

"Y-Yea," she stumbled, quickly regaining her demeanor. The library came back into focus and she remembered how far away the labs were from her. The distance seemed to calm her heart. "I'm fine."

He grabbed her hand, leaning closer.

"You're a bit pale," he whispered while she stared at the floor. "You sure?"

Ami forced a smile as she lifted her head and gently pulled her hand away. Zoisite stepped back to give her room to breath.

"I need a little air, but I'm fine," she replied evenly. Her eyes told him that she was lying, but he didn't question her. Stiffly, she walked towards the exit. Zoisite watched her for a moment before hastily running after her. He caught up with her as she pushed the door open. Together they stepped out into the cold air.

"You sure, you're okay?" He insisted.

"Fine," she replied curtly. She hurried her steps a little as if to affirm her stability. "So you've been missing the last few days. Where have you've been?"

The best way to avoid the conversation was to switch gears. So why not try to start that friendship she had been preparing? She could kill two birds with one stone.

"I've been doing some work for Artemis and Luna," he stated vaguely. "It usually doesn't require me to be gone for so long, but this work demanded my constant attention."

Ami nodded. She struck down the sidewalk, clutching her coat tighter around her. The temperature had already dropped twenty degrees and the sky was still tinted orange in the east. The overhead street lamps began to flicker on as she caught view of the bus stop. The library wasn't far from the house, but she didn't want to make Zoisite walk through the cold. She didn't want to punish him for her joy of the frigid weather.

Reaching the corner, she walked under the small cover of the bus stop and faced him. "So where is Artemis? He's been gone for over a week."

Zoisite shuffled in beside her, eyes scanned the darkening surroundings. Seeing only unmoving shapes he relaxed. "He's been busy. He should be back in a day or so."

Ami scowled. Another vague answer.

"But where is he now?" she persisted, crossing her arms together for added warmth. "As far as I know, he hasn't called the house to talk to Luna or Diana. Why is it that he doesn't call to check in?"

Zoisite pretended to be checking their surroundings a second time. She studied his profile, watching how his jaw tightened. "You know we can't chance the NVerse tracing the call."

Ami's eyes narrowed. "A trace only works if the NVerse knows what phone to put a trace on. The NVerse doesn't know where we are. How would they be able to find our phone to put a trace on it?"

Zoisite stamped his foot. Ami was sure if the action was due to the cold or nerves. The blonde man glanced to her through the corner of his eyes. She caught the uncertainty in his gaze.

"I'm sorry, Ames—"

Her mind momentarily was distracted by the way her nickname rolled off his tongue. Her nickname always sounded so warm and refreshing from her friends, but from his mouth it was like a bubbles coaxing down her legs as she stepped out of a tub. It dragged down her soul, lazily and sultry.

"—I don't want to leave you in the dark. If it was my decision, I would tell you and the girls everything."

Ami blinked, "So Luna doesn't want us to know."

Zoisite glanced to her and nodded. "She doesn't want you distracted. She thinks it more important that you all focus on training. She's very adamant about this."

The young intern stared down the street. The car lights rolled pass with the hum of turning wheels. She inhaled deeply. As she exhaled loudly through her nose, she let her shoulders sink with disappointment. "If the NVerse is as powerful as she says, then I wish they wouldn't handle this alone. Is that why you have been out lately?"

Again he nodded. "Artemis is making real progress, but it's been wearing him down. Luna can't leave Diana. We're all here to watch her, but mother instincts, you know? So I've been doing a little extra work here and there to help on the side. But they both still want me at the house for extra protection so I only leave for a couple of days."

"Extra protection? Five goddesses and a cat-changing-woman aren't enough?"

"I have some special skills."

"Besides the whole healing factor?"

Zoisite smiled, "I told you before. I have spent the last years training rigorously."

Her eyes drifted over the smile, remembering the countless dreams she had of him. The smile was identical from her dreams, yet it was slightly altered. In her dreams, it had been cocky and seductive. In real time, it was soft, inviting. It was the same message and yet different in the silent gesture. She looked away, not knowing what to think of the implication. Perhaps their past lives did not line up with the present.

The streets were suddenly so much darker, so much emptier. Headlights would light up the distance for a bare moment, but quickly cover them back in shadows. Ami leaned up against the bus stop pole, looking at the blackness. She wondered if the scene was similar to how her soul was feeling; pressed by the unseen.

She could barely remember what it felt like to be running to class or studying medical journals. Would she one day be able to recall those things? Would she be able to walk away from this and return to cram sessions and clinicals? Or was this a trama to her soul that could never be reversed? Would she walk streets thinking that the world was so stupidly blind and unable to read her books without thinking about a kingdom she didn't remember ruling? Was it like the Matrix? She couldn't go back to seeing roses without seeing thorns?

The loud roar of the bus startled her. The headlights had been her view, but the sound of the engine had taken a long time to hit the nerve in her brain to tell her it was her ride. Zoisite was already greeting the driver and dropping the quarters into the dispenser. She hurried to jump on.

With a wry smile, she greeted the driver, a large balding man who gave a gruff hello. He gave her no other note of interest so pass without offering any further conversation. Zoisite headed for the empty rear of the bus, excusing himself as he bumped into the other occupants' knees.

There was only a handful people. A little old lady was fiddling with her purse, whispering curses at a lost cell phone. Her blue shawl was covered in floral patterns that made Ami dizzy. She glanced away to the blonde youth, barely fifteen, near the exit reading a magazine. He gave her a flirty look, but she calmly shook her head. He shrugged, probably guessing that she wasn't deterred by his personality, but by his jailbait age. Across from him, a man with curly brown hair was holding a briefcase and book in his lap. The book was closed and he gave her a sidelong look before staring back out the window, uninterested. She hastily passed through the warm bus to join Zoisite. She dropped heavily into the back seat.

For a few minutes, they shared an awkward silence. Zoisite kept shifting in his seat, clenching and unclenching his jaw. Ami wondered if something was troubling him. As discomfort grew, she reminded herself that she was supposed to be making an effort to befriend the man. She struggled for words. She had never been good at breaking the ice.

She opened her mouth with quivering trepidation. She thought of a dozen lines.

_'Where did you go to school?'_

_'You said you were in France. Have you visited other parts of Europe?'_

_'So tell me about archeology.'_

It all sounded forced, like she didn't actually care about the answer. She didn't want to come off as trying to make peace. She didn't want the false relationship that people tried to start with her in middle school. They had thought the best way to learn more about the _freak_ was to pretend to be friends. She had promised to never do that with anyone.

She suddenly realized he had seen her turned and had shifted to better face her. Ami blushed because she was sitting there with her mouth hanging open like she was in awe of him. She hastily snapped her mouth closed and turned away. She glanced at him through the corner of her eyes and saw him silently laughing.

"I was trying to think of something to say," she mumbled weakly.

He cocked his head, his long blond bangs shifting over one eye. "Well, why don't you ask me 'what was life before this?'"

She liked that question. She sat a little straighter, feeling a little more confident.

"So, Zoisite, what was life before this?" she asked.

He gave a small shrug. "Not much to report. I had graduated from Boston, working for one of the museum in New York before I got sent to France on the dig. I had a one bedroom apartment. I didn't have too many friends because I worked so much, but I had planned to get a dog to settle that problem. You know, have someone excited to see you were home."

"I had cats," Ami commented.

"See I'm not much of a cat person," Zoisite responded. "I mean, Luna and them are an exception to the rule, but to me I like the big ball of fluff that plays catch and snuggles up with you. Cats are a little more standoffish."

"Depending how you raise them. Most of my cats were really friendly. Not as much as a dog, but that is because cats are more independent than dogs."

"So you never want a dog?"

"No, I didn't say that," Ami rushed. "I love dogs, but I love cats, too. If I ever got a dog, it would have to love cats because sooner or later I'll probably get a cat."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Once again a smile cracked across his face. "So tell me what was your childhood like? Were you always…"

His eyes quietly scanned the rest of the bus to see if anyone was listening in. When he saw no one, he turned his smile back to her. "Were you always _special_?"

Ami immediately grew somber. Whenever people asked about her childhood, it was always the darkest moments that surfaced. It was hard to remember the positive aspects of those young years. Zoisite studied her wilting response. Serena had told him that Ami didn't have the prettiest youth, but he wondered what had caused such ache in her glazed eyes. He had to be gentle if he was to ever find out. He just wanted to see if she be upfront from the beginning or would he have to coax it out of her.

"I found out I was special when I was about eight," she spoke softly so the other bus occupants would hear their conversation. "One of my favorite snow globes shattered in my face. I was lucky the glass didn't leave any scars."

She nervously began rub her fingers together. Only the girls had ever learned about her childhood. That was only because they shared similar horrors and unnatural powers. It was strange to share such personal details of her life with some she barely knew.

_'That's why you're sharing this with him. So you can get to know him better.'_

"However, when I was nearly three, I had already begun to connect with water. I one time fell face first into the brook."

"Face first?"

She sighed, "The water…called to me."

His face furrowed, "Called? Actually called?"

She glanced at the people again. No one was looking at them. She gave Zoisite a small nod. "It wasn't exactly words, but an urge."

He was quieted for a moment, staring down at his hands. "It was different for me. I never knew of my powers until I met Luna and Artemis."

Ami frowned, her eyes lifting. "Never before? I mean, the girls and I all found our gifts before we hit middle school."

"Well me gift is naked to eye."

"So is Mina's, but she found out she was able to do things when she kept waking up and find herself sleeping on the ceiling."

He shook his head lightly, gaze ever watching of the bus. "I am able to do rapid healing for some serious injuries, but you don't normally come into close contact with serious injuries unless you know a kid doing rash stunts or deal with hospital work."

"True."

"I never got real sick when I was younger and I didn't bruise. I never thought much of it. But then when I met with Luna, she got scrapped up in a chase. There was quite a bit of blood for such a shallow scrap. She called me over and when I accidentally bumped her arm, the cut shrunk away."

"You must have been frightened."

"I was. Luna said my powers had flared because I was beginning to connect back to my past life."

"Connect?" she whispered, her thoughts shifted. "The catacomb in France. The grave and the stones. Those were a connection to your past?"

"Yes, supposedly the unmarked grave was my past self's remains and the stones were one of my very special possessions."

She recalled the image of the four stones in the box. They hadn't appeared to be anything special to them. They had been four innocent looking stones that upon touch sent a pounding headache through her skull.

"Do you know what those stones are?" she asked.

His jade eyes softened as they found her curious gaze. His smile became lazy as he leaned closer. She became very aware how short the distance was between their noses. She swallowed nervously.

"I'd rather talk more about you," he loosely commented. "That stuff we will talk about with the others in due time."

Her blue eyes narrowed, "Are you trying to avoid the subject?"

"Maybe," he grinned. "Or maybe I want to know more about you?"

"You seemed to know more about me than I knew about myself when you arrived at Luna's months ago." She quibbled.

"Excuse me for stealing your very words, but _I do not know you_." She froze. The words bit into her, even though she could see in his eyes he hadn't meant for that reaction. He calmly added, "I know a girl I have seen in dreams. Bare flashes and wisps of a voice, but I would like to know more about the girl that is sitting right next to me, if you don't mind."

Her face softened. His words clung to her, squeezing the rebuke out of her lungs. Her conversation with Serena echoed in her head as she softly replied, "I don't mind."

A light came on in his eyes, something she hadn't seen since that day in the alley when they first. She had also seen that light in his eyes at the club, but that had been the last time. The simple light of hope in his jade eyes made her heart skip.

"So tell me," his husky voice filled her ears and Ami found it hard to follow his words. Zoisite began to sink into her bottomless blue eyes, remembering the countless times he had done the exact thing in his dreams. "Did you always want to be a nurse?"

Her heart went dead. The familiar hollowness crept through her chest and without thinking she pulled away. Zoisite watched with sorrow as the small glimmer he had seen in his dreams fade out of reach. Serena had warned him about bringing up Ami's past.

_'Be careful where you tread,'_ she had told him. _'We have moved on with our lives, but Ami has never truly gotten over hers. Or maybe, she is simply far more tender hearted than we.'_

Without thinking, Zoisite grabbed her wrist, causing her blue eyes to swing back up to his gaze. "I'm sorry. Serena told me your childhood is a tender spot. How about you tell me about you and the girls?"

Ami's dull eyes slowly sharpened as he pressed, "Perhaps you can tell me about your favorite mission?"

* * *

..

Zoisite had never heard laughter so bell-like. It was like the sound of soft rain tiptoeing across the surface of a pond. Sure, he could tell she was holding back. He supposed if she laughed freely, it would have sounded more like a rushing brook. Either way, he was consumed by her laughter. In his dreams, he had always been stolen of the small pleasure of her whimsical giggle and now graced with an earful, he had become obsessed with reliving the experience.

"I really wish one of us had a camera that time," Ami continued, oblivious to how the man had become dreamy eyed. "None of us had ever been to a gay bar so we didn't even catch on until someone made a move on Rei. She was so surprised that she forgot about the woman we had been following and put the lesbian into a headlock."

"Really?" he spoke half-heartedly, too busy memorizing the tinkle in her voice to hear everything she was saying. "How did you explain that to security?"

"Well, Mina had to pretend that Rei was her girl so Rei had merely done the headlock out of respect for her girlfriend. Security still chunk Rei and Mina out of the club, but the rest of us disappeared into the bathrooms to regroup."

Zoisite suddenly woke up from his stupor, "Wait. Is the bathroom, you girls' fallback spot?"

Ami slyly grinned, "As everyone knows, girls travel in groups to the bathroom. It's the most inconspicuous location in any situation."

"Any situation?" he asked skeptical.

"Mina has ditched all her worst dates by using the bathroom excuse. No man has stopped her before it was too late."

"That explains how quickly you all ducked into the bathroom when I ran into on the dance floor that night."

"Yep."

"Anyways, we found the woman in the back later selling the illegal immigrants as prostitutes to the regulars at the club. We got them released. Did a bit of cleanup to keep our identities cleared and we duck out before the security is the wiser. A little tricky, but in the end it was the most hilarious experience we had in a while."

"Definitely diary worthy."

Ami nodded, laughing again. The bus pulled to a stop and Ami realized they were nearly home. Part of her was glad the time was up on her interlude with Zoisite. Her heart had been racing for the entire time she had been sitting on the bus with him. She would be glad to calm it down and return to a more relaxed feeling. On the other hand, she could not disregard the laughter he had been able to pull out of her in the short fifteen minute ride. It felt good to laugh after two months of shallow heartache.

The youth and the book reader headed for the rear exit. The kid blew her a kiss. She ignored him and instead switched her focus to the brunette following him. The man had tucked his book under his elbow as he clutched his briefcase. He gave her a short look and disappeared outside. She turned back to Zoisite and found a fiery glare on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Zoisite brushed her off, commenting under her breath about the lack of respect in young kids nowadays. The bus doors clanked close and the large vehicle pulled forward. Ami lifted from her seat, preparing for fast approaching next stop. Zoisite took a spot beside her and the back door.

"The girls and I have really enjoyed our night work," she stated, eyes watching the dark shadows passing behind the glass doors. "We all felt strong about helping others. We each had our future dreams, but we would never walk away from a situation where we were needed. Having our gifts made us feel needed. We felt we needed to do more than become nurses and computer engineers. Our missions fell into our lap from an electronic message sent by an anonymous sender. It was like the fates were calling to us."

Ami sighed heavily, "I suppose they always were."

Zoisite opened his mouth. Their stop came into view of the headlights and Ami pressed the button to call for a stop. The overhead speakers dinged merrily and the bus grunted as it switched gears. The wheels braked, the door slid open, and Ami jumped out before a word could be said. She didn't want him to continue the thought. She wanted to forget the turmoil that surrounded her and the girls. She wanted to go back to the laughter she had lived minuets ago. Instead, she was walking back through the cold, darkness, feeling the shadows' fingers tugging at her. Her feet hurried up the sidewalk.

Zoisite caught up with her, "So how long have you've known the girls?"

"About eight years," she replied. "I've known Serena the longest. The others fell into my life in the next year, but we've been together nearly eight years."

"All that time you were doing missions for Luna?"

"Serena and I started it up as a team effort after she found out about my gift, but she had been doing it before I showed up. Course, she hadn't been doing anything large scale like the gay club fiasco. She did a lot rescue work."

"You all are very different for being such close friends."

Ami made a small noise of agreement. "That's very true. I've always notice that about us. We don't all fit perfectly together, but we are closer to each other than most friends are. That's because we see beyond the rough edges."

"You sound like someone who has been received this speech before. Did Serena tell you all that?"

"She did in her own words," Ami grinned in the darkness. The small house was only a few houses ahead. "She has a way of been dimwitted at times while at others she understands people to the deepest level. That speech is a poor example to understand the extent of Serena's unconditional friendship, but she is a person everyone she aspire to be."

"She does seem that way," Zoisite commented warmly. "I only spent a short time talking with her, but there's a certain way of her that immediately catches your heart. She's a fine girl."

Ami's voice softened, "She is."

They stepped into the wide porch light and, for a moment, Ami was tempted to hesitate at the door. She didn't understand at first, but she realized her short time with Zoisite had felt very much like the times she would spend talking with Greg. They had spoken about very personal subjects, some of which she had never been able to tell Greg about. In a way, Zoisite had learned more about her on that bus ride then Greg had ever. Because of that intimate connection, her heart had begun to speed up at the sight of the door. It reminded her of her dates with Greg.

She forced her legs to swing forward, though it was done with some awkwardness. _'This isn't a date. It was only a friendly conversation.'_

She hastily turned her key in the lock and walked inside.

"We're home," she hollered as she walked down the entry way.

"Oh good!" Luna hollered from the back rooms. She heard rapid footfalls and soon the woman's face appeared. "I thought maybe I would have to send one of the girls after you."

"We're fine as you can see," Zoisite chuckled while grabbing the edge of Ami's coat. The young girl blushed as the man graciously pulled it off her shoulders and hung it on the wall. He quietly ignored her gaze.

"I'm glad," Luna replied sweetly. Ami noticed with some concern that the woman's face was smiling a little too tight.

"Are you alright, Luna?"

Scarlet eyes darted to the woman before looking back at Zoisite.

"Perfectly fine, darling." Her voice didn't waver in the slightest. "The girls are in the bedroom. I believe that were waiting on you."

"Oh, thank you," Ami replied. She excused herself and headed for her friends all the while wondering if Luna had merely been trying to be rid of her presence to talk to Zoisite in private. Before she reached the door, she heard a short exchange between the two.

"I need you in the back," her hushed voice carried to the girl's ears.

"Something happened?"

After that, their voices became too muffled to understand anything further. She quietly turned her door's knob and peeked inside the bedroom. Four heads snapped up the moment the door creaked open. Something scattered off Mina's lap as she launched towards the intern. Ami's hands were snatched up as the blonde shoved her nose into the woman's wide-eyed face. "I told them that I heard your voice! Where you've been Ames?"

Ami pulled her hands out of the girl's grip. She gave her a wary look. "You know I was at the library."

"Oh yeah," Mina giggled. Her voice was higher than normal, a hint that Mina had something up her sleeve. Ami narrowed her eyes when Mina studied her. "Did you have a good time?"

"Fine," Ami replied smoothly. She wondered if the girls knew Zoisite had gone looking for her. From the way, Mina's eyes were sparkling, she guessed they had known.

"Anything interesting happen?" the blonde asked. Behind her, Rei slapped a hand onto her forehead and groaned. Serena's smile shook slightly and Lita coughed loudly.

Ami inwardly rolled her eyes. The Queen of Matchmaking was at it, again.

"Nothing to report," Ami replied innocently, stepping towards the rest of the girls. Everyone quickly straightened. The intern saw the red deck and realized they had been playing a game of cards. "Oh, fun. What are we playing?"

Mina grumbled behind her, but Ami pretended not to hear. Serena threw her hand to the floor and began scooping up the deck. "We were playing Spades, but we can play something else so can join."

"How about poker?" Rei suggested.

"But I always lose!" Serena whined.

"That's because you can't bluff," Lita said. "Your face gives you away."

"I can't help it!"

"How about Rummy?" Ami said, sitting down between Rei and Lita.

"Sure," Mina huffed, dropping heavily into her spot. She propped her chin into her hand, glowering at the floor. Ami watched with amusement as Lita elbowed her in the side.Serena began to deal the cards as she talked about her day. In a matter of minutes, Ami forgot about her short time with Zoisite.

* * *

**_A/N: Throw in a little fluff, a little curiosity, and some mystery. That's what you get from my weary creativity. Next chapter will have a lot more plot. Soon the fun begins. _**


	18. Falling Stars

_**A/N: Whew! This chapter took a lot out of me. It's over twenty pages long. As always, I hope I have appeased your hunger with a satisfying chapter. **  
_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 18: Fallen Stars_

* * *

The next morning Ami went on her regular run with Lita. Her mind was wonderfully clear as her sneakers slapped against the black asphalt. All the weight on her heart had been lifted during her sleep and her feet seemed to spring with each push off the ground. In all their runs around the neighborhood she had never felt so wildly free quite like she was that morning. As they got to the end of the run and slowed for a cool down, Ami was a little sad. She was willing to go another two or three miles.

"That felt real good," she panted with a large grin as she slowed alongside her running partner. She tossed back her hair and relished the cool air brushing against her long neck.

Lita smiled back at her, "I could tell. I almost thought you were going to leave me behind back there."

"Never," Ami teased merrily. "I just slept really good last night."

Lita gave her a knowingly look, which Ami failed to notice. She was tempted to mention a certain male friend, but she knew the girl's happy mood would immediately disappear and be exchange with uncomfortable embarrassment. Ami had been having such a hard time lately that Lita wanted her to enjoy her momentary serenity. The brunette tossed her sweaty bangs from her eyes. "Well, you must tell me what pills you took. I barely got any sleep last night."

Blue eyes snapped to the side. "Really? Why?"

"Oh you know, I'm a light sleeper," Lita grunted. "I kept hearing noises."

"Noises?"

The other woman cocked her head, "I'm not sure what it was, but I almost thought it was someone moaning."

The light feeling she had been previously bathed in disappeared. Ami stumbled in mid-step. "Moaning?"

Lita shrugged, "Well, I thought it was the pipes. You know how the cold makes the pipes sound so loud."

Ami shook her head, "It couldn't be the pipes. Normally, pipes sound so loud because the house is not built on the slab and the pipes are exposed to the cold weather. Luna's house is on a slab."

The house came into view and both girls slowed to a halt a block away. They eyed the yellow building with trepidation. The idea of moaning inside its walls made the house less welcoming.

"But it had to be pipes," Lita mumbled. "What else could it be?"

Ami was silent, eyes hard set on their home. Cold anxiety began to filter through her nerves, making her hands shake. The frigid wind no longer felt very comforting against her bare skin. "Someone could be having nightmares. You sure it wasn't Rei or Mina? You remember when Rei would wake up screaming because of visions."

Her ponytail bounced as Lita viciously shook her head. "It wasn't in our room. It sounded further down the hall."

The only thing down the hall was the bedrooms. Zoisite had been sleeping in cat family's office, using an old cot for his bed. The master bedroom was the furthest door with Diana's room protectively tucked to its side. It would have to be one of them.

"Maybe Luna's having a hard time with Artemis being away. Maybe it was her." Ami offered wishfully.

"Could have been," Lita mumbled. "I've been hearing stuff for the last month, but that was loudest it had ever been."

Ami was tempted to leave the question unsaid. Her curiosity would sadly not let it go. "Like what?"

Lita shivered. Ami wasn't sure if the shiver was from the wind or what haunting things she had overheard in the night. "Just things…"

Ami began to walk again towards the house. The idea of hearing strange noises in the night upset her. There were so many secrets within those walls. "Next time it happens wake me up."

Lita gave a curt nod, though her eyes were shadowed. "Sure."

Entering the house, they proceeded to the dinning room like routine. They had reverted to their pleasant selves and were playfully discussing dying Rei's hair bright pink in her sleep. When they pushed the door to the kitchen, their laughter died. They stared at the half-empty table with growing trepidation. There was no sign of Zoisite or any of the Cat family.

"Where's everybody?" Lita asked as she leisurely took a seat.

Mina and Rei looked to each other.

"We're not sure," Serena offered between huge bites of omelet. "The table was all set when we got up, but no one was here."

Ami's inquisitively examined the lonely five plates that circled the small table. "Luna hasn't been by?"

Rei shook her head. Her expression was grim, a wary sign. "We were hoping you two had seen her before you went on your run."

"No, we didn't," Lita replied, unsettled. She glanced to Ami. "I hope nothing's wrong. It's too early for Diana to be at school."

"It's a Saturday," Mina commented. "Maybe Luna's letting her sleep in."

"But where's Luna?"

"Or Zoisite?" Ami added, causing the girls' eyes to lift towards her. Ami fought down the blush by focusing on the doorway. _'He couldn't have left. He just got back yesterday.'_

"You sure Luna's not here?" Lita asked. "Who made the breakfast?"

Rei scowled. "We assumed Luna did. We thought maybe she had run out on an errand."

"Luna doesn't leave the house."

"Maybe Zoisite had to leave so she didn't have him to run the errand."

"She could have gotten one of us."

"Maybe she had to take Diana somewhere."

Ami shook her head with a worried frown, "The fact is Luna wouldn't leave the house without telling us something. She hasn't left the house in two months. Why now? And why without mentioning it to us?"

Silent looks passed between them as something foreboding passed across their hearts.

"Do you think it's the NVerse?" Mina was tense.

Ami looked to Rei, a familiar question in her blue eyes. The young priestess shrugged, "I feel uneasy. The house has been full of anxiety for the last few days which I can only guess is resonating from Luna and Zoisite. It's possible the NVerse have gotten closer to our location."

Mina crossed her arms and leaned away from her plate. "I don't know. To me, if the NVerse had gotten closer wouldn't she be pressing us to train harder? She hasn't been too concerned with our training for weeks. She's actually hasn't been paying us much attention."

"She might be buying us time," Serena suggested. A chunk of omelet fell out of her mouth and sloshed onto her plate. Rei's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Maybe," Lita mumbled. She had yet taken a bite of her food. Her fork kept pushing the yellow-brown mass to opposing ends of the plate and then pushing it back to the center to form a mountainous pile. "Still, why keep us out of the loop?"

"They have been very quiet about what's going on," Rei added bitterly.

Ami dropped her elbows onto the table top and ignored the steaming breakfast buffet in front of her. Her blue eyes stared down at the design swirling over her empty plate. It was one of Diana's Disney Princesses plates with Belle from Beauty and the Beast at the center. "I think they are keeping us out of this so we can focus on our training. She probably knows we would want to help if things were growing dangerous. She told us already that we need to improve before we can even hope to beat the NVerse's generals. I don't think their silence should be seen as fault against them."

Lita nodded, "Same here. I really appreciate everything they have done for us. I don't think we should be too concerned."

The brunette shifted towards the nurse, "But I do wish they would tell us what's going on."

"I'm sure they will, once we have improved," Ami assured.

Rei tossed back her dark mane and glared out the window. "That could be months from now."

The table agreed with the woman. The weeks of training were like angry stabs to their pride. Ami's soul ached when she thought about working another two months and bearing no fruitful progress. They would give up before the end of the fourth month mark.

"Maybe we should try sparring," Mina suggested. "We've spent weeks in meditation and don't have anything to show. How about we shake things up and do things different?"

Lita studied Ami curiously for her response. Serena had been the teacher in their training sessions, but Ami had always been the guidance. She was after all the brains of the group. Lita was surprised to see a lack of decision in the other woman's shadowy eyes.

"Couldn't hurt," Serena stated with ease. "Besides, who's going to stop us?"

"Let's do it," Rei cheered with a slick grin. "I could use the workout to vent some frustration."

* * *

..

Once they clear the dishes and the rest of them changed into more suitable attire, the girls marched off into the woods for the second time in two months. They were uneasy to leave the house empty since in the entirety of their stay there had always been someone at home. It felt sinful to leave the house unattended. Small growls of anxiety stirred in their chests like angry beasts woken from hibernation. They made sure to leave a note of their whereabouts and the anxious beasts in their chests were slightly appeased. Even so, they each took a momentary last look over their shoulder as they headed through the hole in the back fence.

It wasn't too difficult to find the clearing they had used last time. Regardless the snow covered any path, the trees parted for them with their skeleton arms stretched out for their eyes. When they had gone deep enough into the trees and Ami could no longer look back and spot the fence in the dark ticket, the young nurse spotted a small silver bell hanging from one of the many branches. She quietly reached out and brushed her thumb across the frosty metal. She was startled to see the bell free of ice despite the branches marriage to it. Ami wondered if the innocent bell could be one of the charms Luna and Artemis had left. She had once told her that they had left magically charms to alert her or her husband about intruders. Ami dismissed the bell when she saw the girls were much farther down the path than she remembered and hurried to catch up with them.

By nine in the morning, the girls crashed into the familiar clearing. They were quite excited to have found it without Luna's help. They eagerly made a wide circle around the open area and looked to each other.

"Who goes first?"

Rei shrugged.

"I think it would be best to draw straws." Lita bent over and dug through the clump of snow. As she began to pull out short pieces of a branch, the girls stepped closer. The brunette studied her selection, before holding out the sticks. "The two shortest go first. Serena plays ref."

They quickly snatched up their sticks and raised their selections for comparison. From the looks of things, first up was Rei and Ami followed by Mina and Lita. The young nurse tossed her stick to the ground and strode into the center of the clearing. "What are the rules?"

"Should there be rules?" Lita turned to Mina. "I mean, the NVerse won't play by rules and it's already difficult for Rei and me to use our gifts out here."

"How about we get started and go from there?" Rei stated loudly, taking a defensive stance against Ami. "Let's just spar to let out some pent up frustration and see what results."

The nurse dug out a rubber band from her pocket and pulled her short hair back into a small ponytail. She shook her head, tossing her bangs from her eyes. Arms up, muscles tightening, she stared down her roommate. They didn't normally spar back at the house they rented. They had a large basement back at there in the city, but they never found much use in sparring one another. They would practice their self-defense skills, but that was always sparingly. They never thought they would go against other supernatural gifts. Ami's blue eyes narrowed, "I'm down for it."

Rei took that as a signal to begin. Without a word, she charged Ami, her hand disappearing into her back pocket. Ami didn't move immediately. She knew she could best Rei in a fight if she relied on her surroundings, but she wanted to try her best to manifest her gift without borrowing the water around her. She needed to push beyond her limitations.

Ami waited for her to come into range. Her muscles tightened as the space between them was halved. Her eyes were zeroed in on the priestess's hidden palm, wondering if she would yield her lighter. She could smell the heady scent of ice and their whispers. She was tempted to reach out, to pluck the snow from the air, and shoot it towards her friend, but she held back. Rei was nearly upon her when a sudden movement caught her eye. Ami barely realized Rei's other hand, the one she had been foolishly overlooking, was flying straight at her face. Ami lurched to the side, the priestess's fist glancing off her cheek bone. It barely hit, but it was enough to throw her off her heels. The young nurse fell to the side, trying to regain her feet as she went down. She shot out her leg, barely catching balance when she heard a sharp hiss in the air. Trusting her ears, she allowed her knee to bend and her momentum flowed onwards so she rolled sideways. As she tumbled, the world spun in a flash of blue and white. She threw her arms to slow her movement and as she came to rest on her hip, she looked up and saw Rei had balanced the momentum of her fist by kicking out with her opposing leg. Ami had heard Rei's kick coming at her.

Ami frantically got to her feet and took the offensive. She raced forward, her heartbeat loud in her ears. She could it thrum like the pounding of rain. She could feel the rush of waves in the flex of calves. She bent her soul to its natural flow. She was the crest of the waves, the current of the river. She was water.

Rei was prepared for her. She whirled to face her, palm outstretched. Blue eyes narrowed on the appendage before darting its focus over to the other less visible palm. She would not make the same mistake twice.

When she was close enough, Ami ducked low to the ground. Rei was a head taller than her and so by crouching low; she offered a very small target to the priestess. It was only for a few seconds, then, Ami had pushed off the ground with all the strength she could muster, swinging out a right uppercut. Rei reeled backwards to avoid the blow, her balance dangerously swaying.

Ami grinned excitedly. She knew she would never hit Rei with the uppercut. She had been instead hoping to gain an opening for a better shot. As Ami continued to soar upwards, she tucked her right knee up to her chest and took aim. Rei's indigo eyes widened as she realized what was coming. Her forearms came up to block, but it didn't matter. Ami's foot came down hard, knocking Rei flat on her back.

The priestess cried out as she struck the cold, hard earth. Ami dropped to the ground, stumbling a few steps before she was able to straighten. She hissed out a winded breathe.

"Nice one, Ames," Lita whistled.

"Come on, Rei," Mina hollered. "You can do better than that."

The dark haired priestess grunted as she stood. She flipped her hair out of her face and glowered, "I know. But I'm a little distracted."

"Distracted?"

Ami stiffened as Rei pulled into another stance. "Yea, I'm a little busying trying to focus my energy into a flame."

_'No wonder I caught her,'_ Ami shifted. _'She's trying to focus on manifesting her gift while I'm focused on listening to mine. I've always fought that way. I've acted in graceful sweeps and bulging blows like a current.'_

Blue eyes narrowed. _'Should I do something different?'_

Unfortunately, Rei gave her no time to consider any ideas. She came at her with a roaring fist. Ami frantically dodged, slapping away a punch like Lita had taught her. Rei continued to advanced, forcing Ami on the defensive. Ami could find no openings, barely finding room to dodge, and was driven back. She gritted her teeth as she tried to recapture the sound of water, her peaceful center. Unfortunately, Rei's relentless blows were making it impossible to hear. She tried to gain some space between them, doing one of Mina's trademark cheerleader back flips from high school, but Rei rushed back in with a punch. Ami faked left and Rei still followed.

_'I'm not going to get anymore room.'_ She blocked a kick with her forearm and winced when it connected. _'I'm going to have to try something else.'_

Another kick, followed by a roundhouse. Ami jerked out of range.

_'I have to—'_ She was cut off as a firm heel planted itself into her sternum. She faintly heard a gasp from the circle. The air wheezed out of her chest like a popped balloon and she flew backwards. She bounced a short inch off the ground and slid through the snow. As she slid, she saw Rei racing towards her still, refusing to give her time to regroup.

Ami didn't wait for her body to slow down. She rammed her palms into the earth and scrambled to her feet. Her sneakers fumbled in the snow. When Rei had arrived, she was still fighting to get into a proper stance.

Rei swung again. This time, however, her palm was open as if planning to slap her. Blue eyes instinctively swiveled towards the palm, confused. Ami inhaled sharply when she saw bright orange ashes fling out from the priestess flawless, pale skin. She feebly swatted at the ashes on instinct as her body swayed. The tiny ashes hit her skin and she cried out.

The fight immediately ended as Ami crumpled to the ground, clutching her injured hand. The girls rushed into the circle as Rei stood over Ami, dumbfounded. Ami hissed painfully and looked up to the priestess through her cerulean bangs. "How did you do that?"

"I—I'm not sure," she stuttered, staring down at her own hand.

"Rei! What happened?" Lita yelled. "Did I just see something fly out of your hand?"

"Yea, it looked sort of like sparks," Serena said.

"Burning ash to be accurate," Ami stated, somberly as she held out her burnt palm. It actually wasn't as bad as she first had thought. It was only a mild burn that needed some ointment. The ash had surprised Ami more than hurt her. Rei had been having so much trouble actually manifesting her gift that Ami had never considered the possibility of Rei manifesting it before her. Ami turned expectantly to her friend, "Rei, what were you thinking before it happened?"

The priestess looked back down at her hand, "Not much really. I was concentrating on keeping you on the defense. I knew it was unlikely you would get another hit on me, but I wanted to try to get one on you instead of focusing on my gift."

Ami cocked her head to the side, "So you fought on…instinct?"

"More like frustration. I really had some steam to burn after the last two months."

"Hm."

Serena pouted, "What does that mean then?"

Ami had no valid answer to give. "Don't know, but it shows that peaceful concentration doesn't work for each of us. Rei was using frustration as a catalyst…at least I suppose you could say that."

Lita sighed, "I don't know. To me, it doesn't tell us anything. She still didn't get a full blowtorch working. And you and I haven't gotten anything worthy of a weapon against the NVerse. We have better chances of winning a fight against the generals if we keep batteries and water bottles on our persons."

Mina frowned.

"I disagree," Ami replied. "That small bit of ash was quite a bit of progress for Rei. She's been trying to do that for weeks."

"But how do we improve it?" Lita argued. "We're still clueless to how she did it or how we did it earlier."

"It's going to take time," Ami soothed gently, slowly rising. "Experiments don't offer conclusions until all the factors are taken into account."

"Ames, no offense, but do we really have the time to play scientist?"

Ami floundered, "Well, I'm not really sure how else to proceed. The whole reason we came to spare is to try a new approach. We've acquired new results very quickly and we've only just begun. I say we continue to spar and see if anything else results. Besides, complaining about how little time we have really doesn't help us except in wasting more valuable time."

Lita's mouth slammed close, an irritated expression on her face. The others glanced worriedly at the two. It was rare to see Lita and Ami on opposing ends. The two had become very close from day one of their introductions. Their closeness was due to Lita's protectiveness over her friends. In high school, Ami had taken a lot of verbal beatings from her peers because of her shy and studious nature. Many people would insult her by calling her rude names or spreading rumors of her being an ice queen. Though Ami did a good job of ignoring the garbage, Lita believed it was her duty to put people in their places for their rudeness. Thus, it always felt like shaky ground when Lita and Ami got into tense squabbles. It was rare, but friends were not exempt from arguments. Serena nervously bit on her lip as she waited for Lita to react to Ami's curt comment. Luckily for the girls, Lita didn't take things too personal and usually yielded when it came to arguments, at least with Ami. The tall woman calmly exhaled and nodded to the blue crowned nurse, "You're right. I apologize."

"Don't worry about it," Ami waved it off, not the least bit affected by the momentary friction.

A stretch of silence caused Serena to shift nervously on her feet. "So, what now?"

Ami shrugged, "How about Rei and Lita have a go?"

The pair glanced to the other eagerly. They were excited to get a rematch after their last fight two months ago. Plus, they would get a real chance at a rigorous workout.

"What about me?" Mina interjected.

"Let's see Lita and Rei go on ahead," Ami insisted with a gentle smile. "They have better chance of giving us more information about how to work our gifts. I have a good feeling we are going to learn a lot today."

Ami's logic was always hard to argue against so the girls returned to the sidelines as Lita and Rei squared off in the center. Ami got into a comfortable position and sat crossed legged on the ground. She could feel the snow beginning to seep into the back of her jeans, but she didn't care. She had some warm tights underneath that were waterproof. Her blue eyes carefully focused on the pair of fighters in front of her, anxious to see new developments.

She was sadly disappointed when ten minutes passed with no further flare of gifts. Rei and Lita were doing an excellent job of sparring, giving no one a certain lead, but it was nothing interesting. Her eyes followed their jerky blows with disdain. Thrust, block, parry, kick, parry…Nothing. Rei and Lita fought back and forth for leverage, but neither gained an advantage. They were going in a boring circle.

Ami was beginning to lose hope as her chin fell into her palm. If they didn't see something soon, it was unlikely they would see anything else today._'Darn it and I really thought we were getting—' _

Suddenly, a memory blanketed her view of the present. Ami stiffened as she saw for the briefest moment a battle scene. She blinked and she was back to a world of snow.

_'Was that…a dream?'_

She could recall smoke and charred stone from the fleeting flash of imagery, but it was hard to remember any further detail. Ami blinked rapidly, hoping to retrieve the memory. Nothing came. It had slipped out of reach in the mere moment it had taken to blink. Her chin slowly settled back in her palm. Had she actually seen something or had she been imagining things?

Her eyes peered towards the girls sparring, but she didn't pay them attention. Her thoughts had drifted far from the woodlands to the tucked away corner of her mind. Her dreams had been evasive for the last month. She could only remember bits and pieces. Sure, it was normal to be unable to recall the entire length of a dream, but even still she felt as if her dreams had begun to evade her. Maybe she should start a journal of them, write about them after she opened her eyes.

She had finally accepted her dreams to be more than simple dreams. She had always believed they were more than dreams, but recently she was wondering if they were some sort of spiritual message. They were always scattered images of scenes she donned to be significant from her past life. With the story book, Zoisite's journal, and her dreams, she was beginning to think there was a potential chance that she would unravel something special about the Silver Millennium Kingdom's story.

Strange. For once, she wasn't going by her logic. She was following her gut instinct. Her gut was telling her there was something more to the Silver Millennium's story. There had to be something they were missing.

There had been a dream of her father coming into a room to find her. Another one had shown her appearing in the Silver Millennium courts. Then, she had seen Amara and the girls—

The dreams were forgotten the moment she saw Amara's stern face in her head. Concern sank in her stomach. It had been a long time since she had sent the SOS text message to Amara and the girls. She had forgotten about their response because they had been overwhelmed by the NVerse and the cat family. After Luna had claimed her to be the Moon Princess, she had utterly forgotten about the others. She felt terribly guilty for forgetting people who were so close to her.

She wished there was a way to contact them. She had tossed her cell phone since Luna had been discovered. Actually, Ami had flushed it down a toilet at a rest stop outside of town. She didn't dare call the girls' cells now because she guessed their cells had been tapped after the whole coffee shop fiasco. Email was another option, but she knew it was possible to track ISP codes on computers. She would either give the NVerse her location or the girls'.

If she knew a safe line, she would also like to call her mother. Ami could only imagine how badly her mother was handling her silence. She had lost her daughter for a quarter of a year now. She had to be sobbing each night she went to bed. There was no way she could have a conversation with her mom, but there was definitely a way to send her a message. Suddenly, Ami could care less about the uneventful sparring match going on in front of her. All she wanted was for training to finish and race for the house.

Someone gasped and Ami's refocus on the sparring match. Her eyes widened when she saw Lita sailing over Rei's crumbling form. She must have landed a good kick in the woman's sternum because the priestess was clutching her chest as she fell backwards. The brunette fighter had leapt upwards, pulling back her right arm in preparation for a downwards punch. What caused Serena to gasp was the small flicker of greenish-amber lines racing over the woman's forearm.

_'Is it possible?'_Without thinking, Ami slowly stood up from the ground. Her eyes didn't dare blink.

Rei's eyes were huge as she looked up at her roommate. Ami could see the white of her eyes even from over fifty yards away. The priestess had seen the sparkle of life traveling over her friend skin. There was no way to dodge the coming blow.

Serena took a hasty step forward, "Lita!"

Lita gritted her teeth and threw all her energy into the single downwards punch. The white world of snow was immediately cast into a greenish glow and the air popped with electricity and heat. Ami was utterly terrified for the priestess.

Time has slowed to a crawl. Ami could see the tightening of Lita's fist and Rei's lips opening into a silent scream. There was slight of motion between the girls' bodies as they fell. Ami saw Rei's palm go up to Lita's chest as if to push her away. She still wouldn't be fast enough to avoid the coming blow.

Orange abruptly exploded between the two bodies. There was a sizzle, a pop, followed by a thunderous crash of emerald and reddish-gold. Suddenly, a hurricane wind rushed across the clearing, pushing against the three girls outside the match. They threw up their hands as the wind pulled at their clothes and raked through their hair. Ami squinted against the roar, watching the sparring pair fling apart. A gray smoke trailed from their singed figures. The volume of wind quickly faded as the girls fell to the earth as if the hurricane force had been a result of the recent colorful explosion. Ami jerked when she heard the two bodies hit the ground.

"Oh my…" Mina mumbled, stock still.

"Lita! Rei!" Ami yelled, rushing forward. Serena and Mina immediately regained their mobility and followed the nurse's example to go to the two women. Ami's heart was in her throat when she saw no movement from the girls. She didn't feel any amount of triumphant in seeing the clash of fire and electricity. She actually felt overwhelming guilt at seeing their prone forms lying in the snow. She had been the one to suggest the two sparring. She was the one who had taken charge of their training. Oh, how stupid! She was so stupid!

Ami dropped to her knees, sliding the last few feet to Rei's side. The priestess had rolled to her side, her back to the young nurse. Tears began to blur Ami's vision as she gently pulled on the unconscious woman's shoulder and brought her to lie on her back. Black hair spilled across the white ground, making her think of tar. "Rei! Rei!"

Ami froze momentarily as her eyes found a red glow fading on the priestess' forehead. Had a symbol been searing across the other woman's brow? With only plain skin left to see, Ami returned focus to the priestess. Rei's porcelain face was only marred by a red mark forming on her left jaw line. Most likely a dark bruise would be there in an hour. Long, dark eyelashes fluttered and violet eyes slowly focused on the woman hunched over her. She blinked a few times before raggedly saying, "That was wild."

Ami exhaled deeply, covering her heart with one hand. "Oh thank God you're alright."

Her blue eyes shifted to the second woman and found her lifting herself off the ground with the help of Mina and Serena. The brunette had a black smudge across her right cheek. She shook her head as she rose to her knees.

"Yea," Lita stated a little stronger than Rei. "That was interesting."

_'Definitely interesting.'_ Ami wanted to yell at their lack of concern. They had been inches from a bomb-like explosion! They were lucky to be alive.

"How do you feel?" Ami asked, the ever watchful nurse. "Anything hurt?"

Rei pushed on to her elbows. She swallowed and glanced over her body. Her clothes were scrapped up and had some black spots here and there, but she was basically untouched. "I'm fine, though a little shaken."

"Ditto," Lita replied as she stood to her full height. She tested the muscles in her hands, overlooking her palms. "Although, I'm not sure how that just happened."

Mina curiously studied the woman's clean, white hands. "What do you mean?"

Rei got to her feet. "She means she doesn't know how she just released a lightning bolt because I don't know how I just released my little flame-bomb-thing."

"Flame-bomb-thing?" Serena giggled. "That sounded intelligent."

Rei glared, "You're one to talk, meatball head. You never sound intelligent."

"I do, too!"

"See! You even sound like a child!"

"Take that back, Rei!"

"Never."

"Guys!" Mina exclaimed, stepping between them. She forced them back. "Please, fight later."

"Yea, I want to get back to how you did that," Ami interrupted. She faced Lita with wild eyes. "Surely, you were thinking something when you fought with Rei. What was it?"

Lita's hands flew up as if she was being held at gun point. She might as well have been from the way Ami was leaning into her. "I swear I wasn't. We were fighting and it…happened."

Ami's blue eyes narrowed, "It just _happened_? Impossible."

Lita shrugged, "I don't know what to tell you. I wasn't thinking anything in particular. I was simply going through the motion of fighting techniques."

"Were you frustrated?"

The brunette shrugged, "Maybe a little, but not significantly. I was actually having some tunnel vision."

"Tunnel vision?" Serena questioned.

"It means you only see what you're thinking about. I was trying to keep ahead of Rei so I wasn't really thinking about working out my gift. I was trying to lay out a good punch."

"Nothing?" Ami said with disbelief.

Rei and Lita looked to each other, the same answer reflecting in their eyes.

* * *

...

_Dear Mom,_

_Oh, how I miss you. This has to be the longest since I've ever gone without speaking to you. It's been difficult without your voice. I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to write. I've been hiding from my recent captors as you have probably guessed. I know it might seem impossible to do, but please don't worry, mom. The girls are here with me. I'm safe, though shaken from all that has happened. _

_If it was in my power, I would call you, but unfortunately, my captors are still out there and have reason to believe they are searching for me. Thus, I have left no address for you to send a reply. I cannot risk you knowing where I am else they might go through you to get to me. That I can never allow. _

_I can only imagine how you are dealing with everything that has happened. I'm sure you're scared. I know I would be if my daughter had turned up missing. But please, be strengthened to know I am well and in good company. I mean, what better company could I be then with these gifted friends. We are keeping a low profile so I doubt you will catch any news of us. _

_I wish I could say more, but I am fearful to enclose anything that might tip off my location to my captors. I'm sure this sounds very unrealistic, but you know I would never over exaggerate something so serious. You were right, mom. My gift is dangerous to have because of the greedy people of the world. Don't worry. The girls are protecting me and I them. _

_I pray the next time I communicate with you that it be in the flesh and through the comfort of our once normal lives. I love you dearly. _

_Your sweetie, _

_Ami_

The nurse stared down at the paper. She hated the length. It was barely a full page. There was so much she wanted to write, but she was fearful to explain. Her mother had never been told the full extent of her missions with the girls. She had been given only short clips of her night adventures so Ami wouldn't worry her. If she told her mother about everything that was now happening, ami would surely be the reason for a heart attack. Besides, the NVerse might intercept the letter and read between the lines should she write about life here in the small town. Her location could be discovered. She couldn't risk her location or her mother's safety. Ami quietly reminded herself that the letter was only for her mother's worried soul.

She reread her scribble, convinced the letter was safe to mail. Perhaps, she could send her mother a photograph to give her a visual confirmation of her good health. It was an excellent idea, but she didn't have her camera.

"Hey."

Ami lifted her head upon the soft sound of his voice. When her eyes spotted him leaning on the doorframe of her empty bedroom, her heart immediately lightened. Almost immediately, however, the feeling sunk a little when she saw the dark circles under his eyes and the paleness of his skin. He looked a little too pale.

"Hi back," she smiled warmly. "Where have you've been?"

He grinned, pushing off the doorframe and stepping into the room. She studied the weariness in his dull eyes, convinced that he hadn't slept last night. He pretended to be a bundle of energy and dropped heavily onto her mattress, making her bounce. She glare ruefully as he chuckled, "Miss me?"

She kept her mouth shut for fear of being rude or revealing that she had been concerned about him. It was nearly four in the afternoon and still no one had seen him or the rest of the cat family. They had planned to send out a search party if no one appeared by dinnertime.

"You don't look well," she commented gently, whiling folding up her letter. Zoisite threw a hand over his face in mock horror and fell across her mattress.

"Are you calling me ugly to your eyes?" he cried dramatically. "Oh, how shall I survive the blow to my ego?"

Ami rolled her eyes and without much thought, kicked him lightly in the chin with her bare feet. Zoisite cried out and tumbled off the edge of the bed. Ami gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as her wide eyes stared at where he fell out of sight. She normally wouldn't respond by pushing people with her feet. She was a little surprise by her actions. His disheveled blonde head popped over the side, jade eyes glaring. "You touched my beautiful face with your icky feet!"

Ami quickly relaxed, forgetting about the improper way she had responded. A small giggle rose in her throat. She pressed her hands more firmly against her mouth, hoping to muffle the laughter. Unfortunately, she couldn't hide the shake in her shoulders. Zoisite frowned, "Are you laughing at me?"

She shook her head, but she wasn't able to stop the burst of laughter. "You said 'icky'."

Zoisite grabbed some random article of clothing off the messy floor and flung it at the woman. Ami 'eeped' loudly and ducked from the dirty shirt.

"I was being dramatic," he cried.

Ami laughed louder, "It's still funny."

His glare didn't lessen, "You wound me."

The young nurse smiled, ignoring the mock hurt in his eyes. She slipped her folded letter into the envelope in her lap. Zoisite shifted and pulled himself back onto the bed. He leaned over, trying to see what she held. "What's that?"

"A letter to my mother. I've been desperate to speak to her and I know she worried. I'm not leaving her an address to send a reply to, but at least she can know I'm alright."

"That's very considerate."

"Thank you." She studied the address she had written in the envelope. The address was a reminder of how far away she was from her old life. Her heart ached at the thought of her old room and the hospital staff.

"I had hoped to send her more," she admitted. "I thought a picture might be nice, but I don't have a camera. Would you know if Luna had one?"

"I'm sure we can sniff one out," he replied. His jade eyes observed her with a soft air, making her blush.

"What?" She mumbled.

Zoisite looked away with a weary sigh, "Nothing."

Ami abruptly frowned, "You still haven't told me where you were?"

His eyes shifted further from her position, hiding his tired expression.

"It's nothing," he stated. "I had trouble sleeping last night."

Ami stiffened, _'Was he the one moaning last night? Was it him Lita heard?'_

Deciding it was too tender a subject for her to prod at such an earlier stage of their friendship, she discreetly changed the topic. "Have you seen Luna or Diana? We haven't seen either of them all day and we were getting concern."

"There fine," he said, pushing away from the bed. "T-There was a parent-teacher's conference today."

Ami didn't argue though she knew it to be a blatant lie. No teacher would schedule a conference before seven in the morning, on a Saturday no less. _'So many secrets in the house. If this keeps up, I'm going to worry about the trustworthiness of our hosts.'_

Zoisite made for the door. "How about we get that camera?"

The nurse blinked awake. "Yes. Let's."

* * *

...

Ami blushed as Zoisite brought the Polaroid camera to his face. She was only sitting on the picnic table in the backyard, but she felt very much on display with Zoisite focusing the camera on her. She forced a smile, but it was awkward. Zoisite frowned and pulled away the camera. "Relax. This is for your mom."

"Sorry," she whispered, trying to smile again. It was still a bit tight.

"Come on, Ames," he sighed. "It's just a picture. If your mom sees that expression she'll think you're being held hostage and the letter is a farce."

"I'm trying," Ami complained as she nervously shifted. She tossed her bangs from her eyes and glanced at the toes of her red sneakers. "I just never modeled for the camera. At least, not without…"

"Without what?" he asked.

She rubbed her arm, "Without someone in it with me. I normally only take pictures with the girls."

His smile broadened. "Really?"

She went pale when he stepped forward. "W-What are you…?"

He quickly grabbed her waist and tucked her up against his side. He pressed his cheek against her crown and held the camera up in the air, blindly pointing it at their faces. Ami blushed when she thought of what her mother would think at receiving a photo of her and a nameless man smiling together. She could hear her mother's joyous cry.

Ami's flowery shampoo filled his nose, making the man inhaled a little deeper. He told himself that he didn't smell her shampoo. He had instead told himself that he had accidentally been overwhelmed by the strong scent and had needed to breathe a little deeper to clear his sinuses. Zoisite also told himself that he wasn't tempted to kiss her, to relive one of the many dreams from the previous months. This was not the same girl from his dream. This was not the same girl from his past life. This girl was a separate entity that he only begun to befriend. He needed to tread very carefully, and at that moment he knew he was taking a stupid risk by cuddling up to her. He quietly ignored that voice of logic.

"Come on," he tightened his grip on her waist, reveling in the feel of her tiny figure up against his side. "Smile for the camera."

Ami momentarily stared up the camera, distracted by his musky presence. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was overcome with dejavu. His body pressed against her side was oddly familiar. There was no tension or embarrassment. She blinked as a glare off the camera hit her eyes.

His fingers began to caress her side, making her wiggle. "That tickles!"

He laughed, "That's the point! Now, smile."

She was unable to stop the smile that erupted from her giggles. Her head tossed back as she tried to pull away his hand, but he was much stronger. The flash went off like a thief and stole the bare moment when she had relaxed in his arms. She was waking from a dream as the camera was dropped and his arm was casually removed. The warmth of his hold was unsettling to lose. She was frightened by how easily it had fit around her. Zoisite was unaware of her frazzled nerves, too busy pulling the picture out of the camera's mouth. Ami was hesitant to lean over and inspect the square item. She was fearfully that something would be reveal in the photograph and make her heart squeeze. Yet, there was no way she could ignore the photograph's insistent presence. Its black canvas begged for her to look and she unconsciously scooted closer to the man's side. Again his cologne filled her nose.

They were only vaguely aware that their heads were pressed close together, almost cheek to cheek, as they tried to peer at the miniature black square. Gradually, their faces were exposed in the allocated box, their easy smiles catching her gaze first. Their heads were tilted against each other, hers leaning slightly away, but still able to emphasize a closeness between them that she had only begun to uncover. Her blue bangs had slipped over one of her sparkling eyes while his blonde hair spilled over her shoulder. The harsh contrast of color was not at all displeasing to her eyes. She was almost drawn to its artistic flow, caught by an unknown familiarity to its image.

Had she seen this before? Had she seen this in a dream? Maybe her past life? She sat silent, her mind clouded by the image. She could almost remember something, something important, but it slipped out of reach. She knew it was only memories she was chasing, but she wished she could recall them to their full extent. She wanted to know more, to understand the shadows that had been chasing her for the last few months. At the same time, a whole other life was waiting on the other side of those memories and she feared what waited there. The whispers of love and friendship were tempting to follow, but she had not forgotten the story of death surrounding the Silver Millennium Kingdom and the sorrow that lingered. Ami could barely hold up against her own present reality, let alone a second life story.

"Do you like the picture?"

She was startled by the question, thinking it was directed at the old life forgotten instead of the plastic square in his hand. Ami didn't know how, but she was suddenly tossed between two photographs: one in his hand and the one she had only barely known in dreams. His photograph was of the time she walked and talked in while the other was a lifeline she floated in during her sleep. They were so similar that she thought one was a mirror reflecting the other. Yet, she could sense the overpowering contrast that distinguished the lengthy darkness that separated the two. Her soul was pulled between the two, caressing the edges of the photographs, and her mouth opened to answer the silent question: _Which life would you want?_

Her ever-present logic immediately returned the distraught woman to the man beside her. _'It doesn't matter which one I would want. I'm here now. This is my life.'_

"Yes, it's nice," she said finally, a double answer in her words. She wondered how long he had waited for her answer. Had it been ten minutes? Twenty? He handed her the photograph and she quietly tucked it into the envelope beside her letter.

"If you would like we can head over to the postbox," he said. His voice sounded uncertain, maybe worried. Had he seen her drift in thoughts? "It will only take a short while."

Ami found herself nodding and rising off the picnic table. Her legs led her towards the back door as the world gradually became real to her touch. The snow crunched louder in her ears and the air caressed her tongue. All senses were heightened. She felt like she could have heard a needle dropping on the road five miles away.

Zoisite jogged forward and grabbed the door. She wavered at the steps when he held it open for her. Walking up the steps, she pretended the small gentlemanly act was a sign of friendly respect. Not that she believed the lie.

She walked through the empty dining room. The television was a little loud in the front of the house and she immediately noted it was tuned to the news. She reminded herself to grab a stamp from the hall's tabletop. Luna was a little scatterbrained at times and had left a pile near her purse on the table. She stepped into the hall, her sights lining up with the little table next to the coat rack. Her ears suddenly opened up to the announcer on the television.

_"…We cannot be sure if the heiress' disappearance is merely a rue to escape reporters about her new daughter's adoption or something far more dangerous."_

Ami froze in the hallway, directly next to the arch. She knew without doubt who the reporter was talking about and her stomach dropped to her toes. Zoisite came up beside her, but she didn't even notice.

_"Ms. Michelle Kaioh has always held attention with the media due to her tragic childhood with her parents unfortunate fatal car accident and Michelle's recent unidentified relationship to her cousin and star racecar driver, Amara Tenoh. But the young heiress had gained new focus when she adopted a sickly girl named Hotaru Tomoe three months ago from the hospital. Public rumor was that she and her cousin were trying to start a family, but Ms. Kaioh denied the statement. Shortly there after, Ms. Tenoh broke away from her racing schedule, claiming there was a family emergency that required her attention."_

Ami broke from her path to the table and raced into the room. She knew what _family emergency_ had taken Amara from her racing. Amara had gotten Michelle and Trista to search for her when she was kidnapped from the hospital parking lot. Ami stopped once she was in the center of room, never sparing a glance towards Serena and Mina who were sitting on the couch with their own eyes frozen on the television screen. Ami's heart began to pound as the screen showed a mute video clip of Amara in her racing gear stepping into Michelle's family limo. The clip faded and the reporter returned to screen.

_"Ever since Ms. Tenoh took her unscheduled absence from the races, Ms. Kaioh had disappeared from the cameras. Even the local paparazzi were unsuccessful in producing their regular snapshots of the millionaire heiress. The blackout stirred quite a bit of curiosity and with the third month reaching a close, the media is beginning to question if something serious has happened to the two women and the newly adopted daughter."_

The screen shifted and a blonde woman on the street side leaned towards a held out microphone. _"I think she's trying to run away from the public. I mean I would if I had a new wife and daughter. The conservatives in this country aren't happy with her new lifestyle."_

Another shift. A man in a business suit appeared. _"She eloped obviously. She wanted to get married to her lover and in her state, they don't allow homosexual marriages. With the media giving her such a hard time, she took a chance to run off without warning and ran to the nearest state that would authorize a marriage license. She's now having a long honeymoon, waiting to see how long she can keep it from the media."_

Next, an elderly woman stepped to the mic. _"I know a lot of people think Ms. Kaioh is having a relationship with that racer girl, but I disagree. I think she's close to her cousin and an emergency could have happened. I'm concerned that something serious might have really happened and people are too busy gobbling up an excuse to say nasty things against the lovely woman. I mean three months and no one has seen her when she was never able to escape the media before. That's surely not a good sign."_

"Oh my…" Ami mumbled. Her fingers went limp and the envelope fell to the floor. _'Please, don't let my fears be true.'_

The reporter's face stare at the camera and offered a worried expression. _"As for disappearances, there is another disappearance that has raised attention."_

Suddenly, Ami was staring at a picture of herself. It was a picture of her sharing a group hug with some of the hospital staff. She stopped breathing as the camera slowly zoomed into her smiling face. It was like the time she had been in Zoisite's apartment.

_"Though far from the celebrity status of Ms. Michelle Kaioh, Ami Mizuno grabbed the heart of an entire neighborhood when she disappeared around two and half months ago. On the evening of January 4__th__, Ami Mizuno exited her workplace at the Red River Hospital in the quiet city of Jonesboro, Virginia. The next morning a call was made to local police station by her mother, a surgeon at the same hospital, when she could not get a hold of her daughter by phone and her roommates did not know her whereabouts. For weeks, the community has done citywide searches for the intern and has posted filers wherever they could."_

Ami saw familiar faces with worrisome frowns and her own eyes staring back at her from store windows. She had forgotten about their worry. She had forgotten she had left them all in wonder about her. Her stomach twisted when she saw one of the nursing staff brushing away a tear.

_"It's been hard not knowing what happened," _the nurse said to the screen. _"After three months, you can only think the worst. A lot of the staff here have spent their free hours trying to find people who were here the night she went missing, but the cops have already exhausted that direction. In fact, I think the police have given up."_

The shot focused on random clips of the intern. Some of the photos were her at home or her at the local swimming pool. The best one was her holding a trophy from a chest tournament.

_"Though the disappearance of the nurse intern looks like any other tragic kidnapping, several new events have caused her sad story to gain special attention. After a month from Mizuno's initial disappearance, the nurse's roommates strangely disappeared as well. In one night, all four remaining women in the large house they all rented had vanished without warning. The search for one had become a search for five and families are consumed with worry. The Mizuno kidnapping was quickly classified a priority for local police station, but there was little evidence to follow. The police have yet to offer any comment regarding their investigation and families are begging for news on their daughters._

_"The other more curious factor about the Mizuno's disappearance was that heiress Michelle Kaioh had left the media scene about the same time as the nurse's disappearance. Entertainment Tonight says they have numerous sources that will confirmed a platonic relationship between Ami Mizuno and Michelle Kaioh, but no footage has ever been released to viewers. Thus, the coincidental black out of Kaioh raises several suspicions about the supposedly innocent relationship."_

Abruptly, the screen went dark. Mina tossed the remote to the coffee table and huffed. "The media is so screwed up."

Ami glared pointedly at the darkened television. "I can't believe they insinuated I was perhaps Michelle's lover. That's ridiculous. People can't have close friendships, coed or not, without being called intimate."

"I agree," Serena glowered, tossing back a sunny blonde pigtail. "They're just stupid."

_'But still very informative.'_ Ami swiveled towards the blonde pair on the couch. "That news channel was a nationwide broadcast, correct? Or at least a coast wide?"

Mina bit her lip. "I suppose. Why?"

"Then we need to keep to house from now on," Ami replied with a grumpy tone. "I'm sure a few people in the town or the neighborhood saw our photos and might recall seeing us. If we go out, they will likely tip off the police and the NVerse will close in on our location."

"Aw, man!" Serena moaned. "It's hard enough being in the house so much. You sure we can't run out every so often on errands."

"I would suggest you don't leave for any circumstance," Zoisite proclaim sternly, reminding the nurse that he had been beside her the whole time. "We don't want to risk the NVerse getting close when you all still need a lot more training."

"But we're actually doing much better in our training!" Serena squealed, punching the air with emphasis. "Today, Rei and Lita were both able to produce their gifts."

Zoisite's jade eyes widened, "Without any resources?"

She shook her head eagerly, "Nope. We were all the way out in the forest when it happened!"

"Astonishing," he breathed. He looked towards Ami. "How about you?"

Ami sadly shook her head, "We tried for several hours, but I wasn't able to do much more than a few sprinkles. Even then I think I borrowed the snow on the ground. Rei and Lita actually caused some real fireworks."

"Did you figure out how it happened?"

Ami's shoulders drooped. "Not a clue."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled upon the sight of her downcast eyes.

She shook her head and quietly held out her mother's letter. When he didn't automatically take the letter, she said, "I can't deliver it so could you please do it for me."

"Of course," he replied warmly. He tucked the letter into his coat pocket and excused himself from the room. His eyes lingered on Ami's gloomy form. When Ami heard the door close, she focused back on the television.

"Have either of you gotten any word from Amara or the others? Any texts?"

Mina fell back against the couch with a frustrated scowl on her face. "No. There hasn't been anything."

Serena's blue eyes grew sad, "Are you worried, Ami?"

The nurse was distant. "I should have never forgotten about them. They sent me a message saying they would be there at the coffee shop when we ran into Jedite and Malachite. With everything that happened, I forgot about them meeting us there."

"They would have been there," Mina's voice was pained. "They had to have been."

"They either were late or they were intercepted by the NVerse," Ami replied with a worried thought. "If they went against just Jedite and Malachite they might have gotten away. The three of them are much stronger than just me and Serena. They had a fighting chance."

"But no further texts?" Serena asked. "Surely, they are still out there looking for us if they got away."

"They wouldn't send a text if they figured it was traced. They might be looking for us, but they already know we are together. They probably figured were as safe as can be for now and shouldn't risk either group of discovery. By now, the NVerse probably knows that they too have special gifts like us and are tracking them down as heavily as they are us."

"Good thinking as always Ami," Mina cheered while rising from the couch. She tugged the young nurse into a sideways hug. "You seem to be doing better today. More on target like you use to be."

"But still unable to produce a stream of water," the nurse said wryly. "I'm still wondering how Rei and Lita were able to do what they did today. They weren't able to explain anything."

Serena glanced between the two girls, an odd expression on her face. "So what do we do?"

They looked to the blonde.

"Well, I feel as if we should do something," Serena said.

Mina's shoulder shook, "But what is it?"

* * *

...

Days passed and there was still no sign of Luna or Diana. Zoisite would pass through sparingly, promising the girls that all was well, but never quite convincing any of them. Ami was growing fearfully more anxious with the days as they blurred together. Luna's absence could not be a good sign, especially with Diana also missing. Zoisite repeatedly gave excused, but he only made her worry more. It had to be serious to make him lie to her and the girls.

What made matters worse was that Zoisite's health had begun to deteriorate before Ami's eyes. At first, he had been only pale, appearing to be missing only a handful of sleep. Soon, his weight began to decrease and she always heard him coughing. Tired all the time and the way he moved so slow, it was too much to be simple lack of sleep. He took naps. He didn't skip meals. There was something destroying his health, something behind close doors. Ami tried to prod it out of him. She told him friends didn't keep such dangerous secrets. Unfortunately, he didn't give in and always evaded her interrogations.

The girls stared at each other in complete confusion as days began to stretch and time began to close in around them. With Zoisite disappearing without warning for hours on end, the girls had become completely alone in the small home, unsure of what was going on or what they should be doing.

They continued to train out of obligation, but their training was like a rollercoaster ride. Every other day they would be successful in releasing their gifts, but then there were others that they couldn't get any flare out of their elements. It only made them more concerned.

Outside trips were forbidden. They did their best to get Zoisite to retrieve their bare essentials, like toilet paper or groceries, but with his odd vanishing act, they would sometimes risk a trip to the nearest store. In the empty hours, they would clutter together in the living room, talking of old times and happy moments. They tried to keep their morale up, but things were growing bleak the longer their hosts were absent.

"Could something have happen to them?"

"I don't know."

"Should we go looking for them?"

"It's too soon."

"It's been almost another month. That makes three months since we've been here."

"If we leave, we could ruin all their efforts of keeping us safe."

"What if they need help?"

"… I d-don't know."

* * *

...

Thus, imagine the surprise Ami felt when she awoke in the middle of the night by an insistent hand shaking her shoulder. The nurse's eyelids fluttered as she stirred from a half-forgotten dream. "W-what?"

She blinked, but all she saw was the blackness of the dark bedroom. The hand on her shoulder pulled at her, drawing her into a sitting position. Her face turned, trying to find the person who was hunched over her. She could hear their heavy breathing.

"Please, keep quiet, Ami. I don't want to wake the others."

Ami stiffened, "Luna?"

"Yes," the woman whispered gently. "Please, come with me."

Ami woke up immediately upon the urgency in the woman's tone. Though she had been upset with Luna for leaving them alone, she had not lost her trust in her. Ami struggled to her feet, grappling to escape the arms of her blanket as it tangled around her ankles. Ami's stretched out a hand in the darkness and almost instantly a slim hand grabbed hers. _'She probably has perfect night vision because of her cat-form.'_

Together they carefully stepped between the other beds and made it all the way out into the equally dark hall without waking one of the girls. Once the door close, Luna began tugging Ami towards the rear of the house. The darkness was ever present, making the experience all the more haunting.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Ami. But I had no choice." Luna apologized. Her voice was scratchy. She sounded very tired.

"Oh, that's alright," Ami whispered. "But please, tell me where have you been Luna? We've all been very worried."

"Later," the woman insisted as she hurried her feet along. "It will take too long to explain and there's no time at the moment."

Ami's heart shriveled at her words. Something was very wrong. "What is it, Luna? What's happening?"

Luna didn't answer. They slowed and a door was opened. From the direction of their steps from her bedroom, Ami guessed they had drawn into the office. The grip on her wrist tugged again and Ami was led deeper into the blackness. Reminded that Zoisite normally slept in this room, Ami was fearful she would soon run into something and awaken the man. Sure, he hadn't been around all that day, but he could have snuck back in when they had gone to bed. As if the shadows had heard her inner thoughts, something crashed into her toe. Ami bit her lip to hold back a whimper of pain. It had felt like a brick wall, but she guessed it to be Zoisite's cot. Swallowing, Ami became aware that they had stopped again and she heard Luna typing on the computer's keyboard. There was a swoosh and then a rush of air. They were walking again.

"Careful," Luna instructed. "We're heading down a stairway."

Ami started, "You have a basement?"

"It's our base of operations. We conduct all our work against the NVerse down here."

Ami's bare feet padded down the slick metal steps. Her tow ached painfully. After a short while, Ami was struck with a disturbing thought. "Have you've been here the whole time?"

Luna sighed, "Mostly, but no I have been elsewhere."

"Is Diana down here?"

"Yes. She's been here the whole time."

"Why? Luna, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Ami," the voice was so worn. It was like listening to an old car engine begging to start. She didn't sound like she had any energy left to tell her story. "We didn't want you girls to give up on your training. We knew you would if you found out what Artemis and I were doing while you were here."

"Did something go wrong? Is that why you woke me?"

Their steps were growing louder. The tunnel was acting like a microphone.

"Yes, something went horribly wrong."

A light slowly crept up the steps and Ami realized they had reached the end of the stairs. A rectangle silhouette appeared and Ami waited for Luna to open the way. There was a click, followed by a bright curtain of light overwhelming the nurse's eyes. She blinked rapidly and stepped into the large room.

The first thing she noticed was that the room was enormous. It was as wide as the entire length of the house. She had never been in such a vast basement.

The second thing she noticed made her heart stop. On the wall opposite of her, there was a long stretch of a stainless steel countertop covered with random instruments and a single blonde figure. There was an oxygen mask strapped to his face and a heart monitor beeping an irregular tune. His eyes were closed, sinking deep black circles into her skull. There was no blood or any visible sign of injury, but a yellow cotton blanket was obscuring her view. Even so, the man was obviously unconscious and very ill. Ami clutched the doorframe as the world tipped beneath her feet.

* * *

_**A/N: REVIEW! I COMMAND IT! cough, cough I didn't say a word.  
**_


	19. Crumbling Mansion

_**A/N: Where did the time go? I've been so busy. It seemed like I just updated a week ago, but at the same time have been working for months on this chapter. My body is giving out. I'm going to bed. Enjoy. **_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 19: Crumbling Mansion_

* * *

Ami forced her bare feet to slide forward. Her legs were shaky, but they managed to bring her all the way to the counter in only seconds. Her eyes, which had been previously glazed from sleep, frantically roved over the man's face, shocked by how sickly he looked. His skin was pasty yellow and his breathing was too uneven and raspy. He looked like he had lost ten pounds in only the last few days. The worst was the way his close lids appeared to sink so deep into his skull. Her trembling fingers followed the trail of catheters to his nearest wrist and found his pulse. It was erratic.

"What happened to him?" she cried, her heart hammering. "Zoisite wasn't this bad when I saw him two days ago!"

"It's my fault," Luna whispered dejectedly. "I pushed him too hard."

"Pushed him?" Ami replied, whirling around to face the woman. The girl's voice caught in her throat as she took in the other woman's appearance for the first time that night. Luna's eyes were bloodshot and her dirty, tangled hair had been pulled back into a single messy bun. Her skin was paler than normal, but her cheeks were flush as if she had been crying for days. Even her clothes were askew and wrinkled. She hardly looked like the sparkling model she had been when Ami had first met her. The nurse's heart softened upon her tattered appearance.

"What's been going on, Luna?" Ami asked with a softer edge. Her heart was still beating hard in her ribs, but she was able to hold back the anger that was suddenly plaguing her. "What's wrong with Zoisite?"

Glassy scarlet eyes lifted from the floor with a heaviness that made the nurse's heart squeezed. "He has overspent his gift. It was at my request that he did it, but I tell you I did not foresee this happening."

Ami stiffened, "What do you mean you could not foresee this? You could not be so blind as to miss this! I knew something was wrong for the last week."

"Let us not find blame at the moment, Ami," Luna quickly interrupted. She shook her head and clutched her hands together. Her dark bangs slipped over her face, obscuring the view of her twisted expression of heartache. "I have come to you tonight because he needs your help. I have done what I could, but I know very little of medicine. Zoisite cannot go to a hospital—"

"Luna, he needs a doctor!"

"If he goes to a hospital, the NVerse will be there waiting." The statement was cold, like a knife being twisted into her heart. Luna bowed her head when she saw the girl cringe. "Artemis was badly injured two nights back and Zoisite has been using all his strength in healing him. While he has been doing that, the NVerse has stationed men at every hospital in the area, waiting for Artemis to show. They had known they had hurt him badly and were hoping I would look for a doctor."

"They know Zoisite's face?" Ami whispered, focused on the uneven rhythm of the man's breathing.

"They do now." The knife twisted deeper into Ami's chest. Luna continued softly. "Zoisite did everything to save Artemis. He may not have fully recovered, but Artemis's condition is now stable. As you see, however, it came at a horrible price."

Ami's eyes lifted, gradually taking in the rest of the large basement. There were lots of computer screens and unidentifiable humming machines. There were expensive microscopes next to dozen of test tubes and paperwork. On one wall there were black and white photos tapped to a dry erase board which was covered in notes. Wires slinked across the floor, twisting between the women's feet and table legs like hungry gray and red snakes. When Ami spotted the enormous server parked in the corner, she was astounded. There had to be some serious wattage being drained from the room from the way her private laboratory whirred with electricity.

Suddenly, her eyes located the curtain of dingy, white strands spilling over a countertop. Ami's slammed her mouth closed, fearful of waking the sleeping child that covered his chest. He was still strapped to several machines including an oxygen tank, but his face had a great deal more color than Zoisite's. Plus, his heart monitor was skipping to a very familiar beat.

It was strange to see him after so many weeks. She had remembered such a happy, strong man instead of the unconscious figure draped across the counter. He had good coloring and nice even breathing, but the mask and heart monitor made him appear frail.

"You said Artemis was stable?"

"For the last two hours, his vitals have been in the safe zone. He's merely resting right now." There was evident relief in the woman's voice which Ami could not hate her for having. She had nearly lost her husband from what it sounded.

Ami swiveled back to Zoisite, eying the equipment that was harnessed on him. The heart monitor, the IV, those were things she could handle. Sadly, bringing him back from the brink of death was a far cry from what she had learned in the hospital. "I don't know what I can do for him. I'm a nurse, not a doctor."

Luna drew closer to the young woman. Tenderly, she reached over and grabbed the woman's trembling hand. Ami's blue eyes lifted towards Luna.

"Believe me when I tell you that Zoisite's life is in your hands," Luna insisted. "I can do nothing more for him that you don't already know. What I'm relying on is that you know more than I to pull him back from the brink. Ami, if you don't try, he will likely die."

Another painful squeeze in her chest. Ami was certain her heart had completely drained. "I wasn't saying I would let him die. I'm, however, doubtful if anything I do will keep him alive. This is something not even a doctor at the hospital would understand."

She shifted to the bags of medicine hanging over him, reading their labels. "He has no injuries to sew. There's no blood flow to stop. He's dying because he's overworked himself. I can try giving him some more medicine, possibly start a feeding tube to get some nutrient into him, but I'm not sure what more I can do."

Luna's voice was low, "Do what you can. I trust you will find a way."

Ami turned, scanning the work table. Never once had her confidence ever wavered in the hospital. She smarter than the average nurse and she could actually hold up her own in discussion with doctor. Even so, she stared at the messy table with a glimmer of fear. "What kind of hospital supplies do you have?"

* * *

She was living a nightmare. Her hands, the only movement in the room, were going in slow motion. The beeping equipment sounded like a blaring alarm clock. She swallowed, licked her dry lips, but she felt so far away, staring down into an bottomless pit. A swell of panic was working up her chest, threatening to burst out of her tightening throat. If she looked at her face, she was certain she wouldn't see any sign of her hysteria. She had always been good at holding her countenance, especially in the ER. Unfortunately, this wasn't the hospital. She didn't have dozen of mentors and experienced doctors to lean on for help. She was alone, scrambling to help a man with unidentifiable health condition.

Luna had kept silent through the ordeal, assisting Ami in anyway she could. After a while, however, Ami ordered her to bed. It was plain to see that Luna had not slept in some time because of Artemis's injuries and she was grow more and more unsteady on her feet. Luna was adamant of not leaving the woman alone. She was responsible for Zoisite and did not want to push the entire burden on the other woman's shoulders. Sadly, three days without sleep could not push her any further forward. In the next hours, her shoulders began to sway dangerously as she hunched over the microscopes. Ami finally ordered the woman to bed. Luna had no will to fight or energy to pull a cot down into the basement. She adjourned to her upstairs bedroom, but only after Ami had promised to retrieve her if anything substantial changed in either man's conditions.

Ami put all of her heart into Zoisite's examination. She checked his blood, inserted samples of various medicines to see his reaction, and pumped him with vitamins. She went through hundreds of medical journals from memory and rigorously monitored his vitals. She sought through all her knowledge for a rare cure. Even after hours of frantic work and thousands of medical pages, he lied immovable and his condition remained unchanging. His raspy breaths and his fogged oxygen mask were the only sign of life.

By three in the morning, she had hit a wall, unable to think of more. Her brain was literally mush swirling against her skull. She was frozen to her stool, eyes unseeing. Her hands twitched in her lap. They were anxious to work, but she didn't know what to instruct.

She felt so helpless. Even with her superior intelligence, she did not know how to save Zoisite. It was as if she was once again stuck beneath the metal beam inside the burning warehouse. She was giving into the darkness while her heart slowed. She feared that at any moment she would hear the drone of a flat line. She began to inwardly chant what to do if it came to his heart stopping.

_'Get the paddles…charged…must be charged to restart his heart.'_

_'Restart…restarts his heart.'_

_'First get the mask off…then the paddles.'_

_'Pull open his shirt. Get the mask off. Charge the paddles.'_

_'Paddles flat against the chest and press the buttons.'_

_'Press the reset button.'_

_'No, the restart button…'_

_'The button…press the button…'_

She slowly blinked. Her mind was too hazy to think straight. Medical journals drifted from her mind as her focus was swallowed by the shadowed face of the man lying in front of her. Quietly, she studied his features, recalling the angle of his cheekbones and the color of his vivid eyes from recent days. They barely knew each other and yet, she looked at him with a fondness that she only held for the girls. She momentarily reveled in that sensation, enjoying the warmth in brought in her moment of cold terror.

She wondered what it would be like to grow closer to the man. He was charming and funny to be sure, but was there more behind that dashing face. His eyes hinted at something special, but she didn't dare pursue the temptation. She had once basked in the warmth of a man's heart. She had been so foolish to let down her guard, to believe his affections could not waver from her. Maybe the stars smiled on Zoisite, but she didn't trust it was foundational. He had placed her on a pedestal, exactly like Greg had done, and with time he would realize as well that she was not his dream girl. She just had to keep reminding herself not to fall for his charm, or else she would crash again to earth and be in so many pieces that she couldn't put her heart back together.

Trust was a wavering gift that he had too freely given in her days. She shook her head, _'Why are you thinking on such things? This is no time for romantic thoughts. There is no tomorrow to worry about if he dies tonight.'_

Her hand instinctively went for his wrist. Two fingers pressed against his pulse and she counted the beats. She stiffened. She couldn't be sure if it was frantic hope or reality, but it appeared that his pulse had steady some. She checked the monitor. Yep, it had steadied, but his heart was still jumping around.

She leaned back with a sigh, _'It doesn't matter. It's still likely that he will die.'_

The clock read four in the morning. The sun would be up around seven. That meant three more hours to push pass. _'If he can make it to sunrise…'_

Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes fell back onto his wrist. Her hand had unknowingly shifted and had curled around his limp fingers. There was an urge to pull away to reestablished the professional distance, but her hand did not move. Instead, she pulled her other hand from her lap and covered her other hand. No one would see. Not even her heart. So with some solace, she gently squeezed his ice cold hand.

_'Please, help him. Don't let him die.'_

Her eyes screwed closed.

_'He saved me. He saved Artemis. He has done so much.'_

The following silence was like someone had given her the cold shoulder. They ignored her inward pleas, saying it was pointless to hope for more. She shuddered. She was alone and so far away. She might as well be in the middle of the ocean, drowning.

_'Please…'_

Ami stiffened when the monitor broke from its rhythmical pattern and began to beep rapidly. Her blue eyes snapped to the screens. She frowned when she saw there was no change in his vitals, yet the insistent beeping increased in volume. "What?"

"Daddy?" a sleepy voice whispered on the other side of the room. Ami jerked to the left. Artemis was rising on one elbow while pulling the monitor off his person with the other hand. The small suction cups swung to the floor, hitting with small thuds. His back was to her as he slowly sat up into a more comfortable position. Diana had slipped off of him and had settled onto floor with a worried gaze locked on her father. "Daddy?"

A worn groan escape from the man's lips, "How I get back here?"

"Artemis, those sensors were strapped to you for a reason," Ami exclaimed, running over to the man's side. His eyes widened when the nurse came into view.

"Ami?" he gasped in a throaty voice. "Did Luna tell you…"

She shook her head as she pressed down on his shoulders. "She didn't tell me much of anything. I've only been here for a few hours, but she says you've been out for two days."

His head sunk back onto the pillow. A dawning expression replaced his confused look. "Two days? Was it really that bad?"

She stiffened as she involuntarily glanced to Zoisite in the corner of her eye. He was still motionless and pale. She swallowed carefully. "Zoisite healed you. He's unconscious right now."

"What?" he cried, pushing back up onto his elbows. Ami was surprised by how strong he was after being brought back from the brink of death. His head swiveled and he gaped at the sight of the unconscious form lying on the other counter. He tried to pull out of her arms, "Zoi?"

Ami gripped his shoulders again, "Please, Artemis. I need to put you back on the monitors so I can double check your vitals. From what Luna says you had a very close call—"

"But Zoi—"

"There's nothing you can do," she insisted, finally pushing him to his back. Artemis scowled, but gave into her demands to stay down. He was still too tired. "I'm here to help you and Zoisite. Though I must admit, I have done very little to help."

"Help?" he mumbled, eyes growing distant. Memories of the past nights flickered through his minds. Everything was so fuzzy. "He saved my life. Didn't he?"

She nodded as she pushed aside the edge of his stained shirt and began to replace the suction cups to his bare torso. The nurse calmly reset the monitors and compared his vitals to what they were hours ago. Everything appeared normal, no slight dips. She noted each reading on a self-made chart. Her eyes refused to look up from the paper as the exhausted man turned to her.

"How is he?"

She unknowingly bit her lower lip. She pretended to be writing notes, but kept the tip of her pen off the white paper. "He's unconscious."

Ami was surprised her voice didn't waver. Her heart did, however, skip a beat when she said those words. She might as well have been talking about the weather.

His eyes slid close as defeat swallowed his unstable emotions. He could remember the darkness, the crack of guns, and the stabbing pains throughout his chest. He could recall life pouring out of his body and replaced with hollowness. He could barely recall Zoisite's shouting face, the man's voice mute to his ears, hovering over him. "What's wrong with him?"

Ami let the clipboard drop from her face. She studied the man's clenching jaw and knew he was sharing her same fear. The nurse didn't bother to check the monitors. "He used all of his energy in saving your life. Luna says he has spent the last thirty-one hours pulling you away from death. He collapsed and hasn't woken since."

"How long since he collapsed?"

"Over twenty-six hours?"

Artemis jerked forward, his hands gripping the edge of the counter with alarming strength. Ami stumbled back in surprise. "He's been out for that long?"

"I've been doing everything I could think of to revive him," Ami rushed out as she gripped his shoulders. She struggled once more to push him back into his previous position. "Please, Artemis, lie down."

"Zoisite, you fool!" he growled, eyes hard. He pressed his shoulder against the nurse, forcing her back. "Let me save him!"

"No!" Ami snapped, shoving all her strength into his chest. They locked knees and tested the other's strength. Her eyes furiously locked with his fiery ones. "He went through great lengths to save you. I won't let you ruin it!"

"He was forbidden to save me!" he grunted. He gained a small bit of latitude and charged pass her. Ami stumbled to the side and grip the nearest countertop to regain her equilibrium. Artemis towered over the unconscious man with a furious scowl. His eyes ran across the man's pale features, his frown twisting tighter with each second. "I told him if anything happens to let me die."

His voice had been so soft that Ami had almost missed the last words. She stiffened with shock. "What?"

"It is vital that he survives. I told him so many times that I was the servant. I am dispensable."

Ami stepped forward, "You can't be serious, Artemis! You have a wife and a little girl—"

"And he has a kingdom to protect!" Artemis stated evenly, eyes screwed close. His dirty hair slipped over his profile and obscured Ami's view. "He must stay alive for you to survive."

Her heart became a chunk of rock. "M-Me?"

Artemis turned away, showing his back to her. At first he said nothing, leaving her standing in the silence with a fading soul. Every nerve in her body bunched as she waited. She heard the air escape his lungs.

"Ami, you are the Moon Princess. You are the solitary hope we have in keeping the universe safe. You are the only being who stands a chance at defeated the Negaverse."

He exhaled deeply, "Unfortunately, at the present moment, your true identity is still dormant. Thus, you are horribly vulnerable. When I took on this recent mission, I made Zoisite vow to be your guardian as was his rightful place as your past love."

Ami blushed.

"He swore to me," he whispered darkly. "Swore to never leave your side."

He hit his fist against the counter, directly next to Zoisite's ear. Artemis hunched over the man. "Why did you do it?"

Ami remained motionless, eyes studying Zoi's profile with wonderment. Her heart slowly began to beat again. It was a steady drum in her ears. Yet, it was a hollow sound. Her blood had returned to its natural flow by the time she had stepped up to Artemis's side. She tenderly gripped his forearms. "Please, come back and lie down, Artemis. There's nothing you can do."

Artemis painfully swallowed before hanging his head and nodding. He mumbled a soft apology as he quietly turned. Ami jumped when a silver blur exploded pass her and hit Artemis.

"Daddy!" Diana blubbered into his side, twisting her fists into his red stained shirt. "I was so scared! I thought you would never wake up!"

She pressed her tiny, tear-smeared face and allowed herself the freedom of crying waves of tears. Artemis immediately wrapped his arms around his daughter and smoothed back her tangled hair. His eyes lit up with joy upon seeing her. He picked up and cradled the little child against his chest.

"Don't worry," he gently whispered. "I'm okay."

Ami respectfully stepped back as Artemis cared Diana back to his bed. Her eyes followed them as her chest squeezed. She faintly remembered a time when her father use to hold her that way. She wished she could recall the sound of his warm voice. It had been eight years since she had last seen him face-to-face. The only communication she received from him now was a postcard on her birthday or a small parcel at Christmas.

Ami forced herself to focus back on Zoisite. Her eyes once again roved over his unchanged features, lost in the shallowness of his breaths and the pale complexion of his skin. She pushed back his sweat matted bangs and checked his temperature. She recoiled when she felt the ice cold skin. His temperature was too low. Not good.

Artemis sat back on the counter. His body was still worn out. He probably needed a few more hours of sleep. Diana immediately pulled herself into his lap, snuggling deep under the covers. He smiled, happy to see her again. For a moment, he had believed he would never see her next birthday. It had been a horrendous thought. His arms instinctively tightened around her small form as his eyes drifted back to the young nurse on the other end of the room.

The beast-man was startled to see the woman staring down at the unconscious man. Her shoulders were slack and her usually bright eyes were dim. She looked disheartened. He could only imagine how hard she had struggled for the last hours trying to save the man. Artemis was suddenly overwhelmed with a question as he watched her fingers brush along Zoisite's motionless hand.

Two months of watching the princess dance around the prince had left considerable worry in both Artemis and Luna. They had expected some trepidation from Ami at their initial introduction, but they were surprised by how frightened she had been when Zoisite had entered the living room that night months ago.

As the days had passed and Ami remained distant, Artemis began to doubt, though Luna insisted, that Ami had regained chunks of her memories. Luna had believed that Ami would be first of the girls to regain her memories. As princess, it seemed only natural that Ami would be first, but it was also a strong urge in the cat woman's stomach that suggested the inclination. When she saw Ami, she could see the telltale signs in the girl's eyes that spoke of sleep woven visions of the past.

_'She has had dreams of him, Artemis. I'm certain.'_

Artemis was skeptical. Ami didn't remember Zoisite. She fled him and evaded all chances of getting to know him. Shouldn't a past love join again as easily as breathe?

Thus, Artemis carefully studied the tension in her face. What did she feel at that moment as she stared down at the man? Did she fear for him? Yearn? Could any small feeling she had as he stared down at the blonde prince connect to a lost love?

_'I pray it does.'_ He leaned back and let his eyes drift shut. Diana slipped out of his arms, but he fallen asleep before she had noticed. He was so tired.

Diana pulled the blanket over her father. She quietly sniffled. She wanted to bury herself into her father's side, but she was a big girl who knew her father needed to rest. It was her duty to help look after him. That's why mommy had let her stay by his side all these late hours. She had to keep her promise to be attentive to his needs. Her mommy had let her get away with sleeping with him earlier because her mommy had been tending to him. Now, her mommy was gone and she needed to take over the position. Besides, Ami was hopelessly focused on the other injured man and needed the assistance.

Ami blinked awake when she felt an insistent tug on her shirt sleeve. She came back to the extravagant lab when she saw Diana looking up at her with curious eyes.

"You okay, Ami?" she asked with eyebrows raised. Ami pulled back her hand and gave the man a curious glance.

"I'm fine," she replied. Diana shrugged and looked to her father.

The little girl stood as tall as her toes would allow and gave the nurse a determined expression, "What should we do for them?"

Ami sadly shook her head, "There's nothing to be done. We have to wait."

Diana's heart grew small, "Wait? But won't they get worse?"

The child was suddenly overcome with the idea of her father sleeping forever. She had never experienced loosing a love one, but she knew what death meant. Her eyes began to swell with tears and tiny whimpers began to slip from her lips.

Ami hastily dropped to her knees, "Hey, hey! Don't cry, Diana. It's okay. Your daddy's okay."

Diana pressed her little hands into her eyes as her shoulders began to shake. "But what if he doesn't wake up? What if he gets worse?"

A small sob broke from her.

Ami gently pulled down the girl's hands. She leaned down to catch her watery eyes and offered a warm smile. Diana peeked up through her lashes.

"Your daddy is doing much better, sweetheart. Just because he's sleeping doesn't mean he never wake up. I promise you he'll be fine. He just needs to rest."

"But he's been sleeping. What's different from earlier?"

"Sometimes people need sleep to help their body heal. A while ago, we weren't sure if he would ever wake up again, but now that he has we know he's well enough to wake up. He just doesn't have much energy to stay awake for very long because his body has been working so hard to heal him."

Auburn eyes turned to her slumbering father. "You promise."

Ami's smile widened, "I promise he'll wake up later."

Diana inhaled deeply and wiped her cheeks. "Why did Mommy get you to help daddy and Zoisite get better? Shouldn't she have called a doctor?"

"Well, I'm a nurse. I know a great deal about helping people."

"But I thought a nurse is an assistant to a doctor. Shouldn't Mommy have still gotten a doctor?"

"Well, I'm better than most nurses. I sometimes know more than doctors."

Diana scowled, "So why are you a nurse? Why not a doctor?"

Ami's face didn't flinch; her smile was perfectly pasted on her as she leaned back. She tossed back her bangs. "Well, that story isn't a very pleasant one. How about we save that for another time? I could tell you a better story if you like in exchange. Have you ever heard of Cinderella or Snow White?"

Diana laughed, "Everyone's heard of Cinderella and Snow White!"

Ami winced. She pressed her finger to her chin as she thoughtfully looked to the floor. "Sorry. Give me a second and I'll think of a story."

Diana grabbed her wrist, startling the woman. The little girl smiled excitedly, "I know! You can read the book Zoisite brought me!"

She whirled around and raced to one of the tables. Ami sighed with relief at distracting the child away from the present, dreary situation. She didn't have the energy to fight Diana's tears, especially when her own weary tears threatened to burst out. She hurried to put her smile back on as Diana trotted back to her with a familiar thin book in her arms. Ami's smile disappeared when she was handed the book and she saw the silver cover. "Oh my, I had forgotten this. How did I forget this?"

Diana frowned, "What are you talking about, Ami?"

"I was the one who found this book. Zoisite checked it out for me. I forgot to get it back from him." She pulled back the cover and flipped to the first page. Her fingers trailed over the words.

Diana was even more confused. "You picked this? Why? Do you like fairytales, Ami?"

The nurse didn't feel up to fully explain why she had come across the book so she settled for the quick excuse to close the subject. "Oh, yes. I loved fairytale stories when I was little. Course, I began to read more about science when I got older."

Ami sat on the floor and pressed her back into the counter that bore Zoisite. Diana crawled into her lap and turned around to face the book in the woman's outstretched hands. Ami eagerly pushed her cheek up against the girl's silver crown and set her sights on the book. She finally had something to occupy her thoughts.

* * *

**The Nine Princesses and the Crystal Rose**

**"Once upon a time, peace consumed the Heavens and the Starry Kingdoms were living in prosperity. There was one kingdom out of all the stars that reigned as the greatest power, the Silver Crystal Kingdom. **

**"No one knew what the secret was to the great kingdom's glory, but it was suspected that the kingdom's power was contained in a delicate, crystal rose entrusted to the Queen of the Silver Crystal Kingdom. It was a sacred flower, which few were ever graced to view. The Silver Crystal, as the flower was called, held enormous power and was the sole protection against evil forces. It was passed down through the royal line as the precious treasure of the Silver Kingdom.**

**"For centuries, the kingdom was safe along with the Nine Heavenly Houses that supported the royal family. Peace does not last forever without being challenged, and with rumors of darkness growing in the corner of the universe, the stars began to shiver with fear. The Queen of the Silver Kingdom pleaded to the Fates, asking if her peaceful realm was endangered. The Three Sisters touched down from the stars and told the Queen her kingdom was doomed to fall. Her only hope was to find a champion to yield the royal treasure and defend the Heavenly realm. The Sisters of Fates told her it would be many years before the Evil of the Universe would bear down on her. She was to choose a girl and train her to be the protector. She was to be called the Moon Princess.**

**"The Queen took the Sisters' words with great care and immediately set out to find her the blessed child. She called out to the Heavenly Houses begging for their support.**

**"Each of the Heavenly Houses appears at the Silver Courts and presented one of their daughters as a possible candidate. Even the Queen's own daughter appeared at the selection. The Queen stared at the line of girls with deep concern. The position as Moon Princess would be a fierce station to uphold. It was likely the chosen girl would be sheltered away from the eyes of the Stars to be trained for the Day of Darkness. She might never again have a chance at any sort of normal life. **

**"Overcome with sorrow, the Queen turned away from the girls and asked the royal families to give a night to make her decision. The Queen hastily threw herself on the altar and sobbed to the stars.**

**"How am I to choose? This child will live a life of hardship and loneliness to save an entire universe. Is there no way to spare some of her heartache in exchange for the life I'm going to steal from her?**

**"The Sisters heard the woman's cries and mercifully descended once more. Sadly, they were unable to offer much comfort to the woman. **

**"Dear Queen, there is no way to spare the girl. As the Moon Princess, she will be held with the responsibility of the Silver Crystal. As its wielder, she will become a target of ever evil that hides in the shadows. You must train to be strong enough to bear the crystal. **

**"Surely, it is too much," the Queen exclaimed. "Should I not raise an army to protect the kingdom?"**

**"The Sisters turned to one another and consoled the stars. They were surprised to see an alteration in the future. Instead of a single stars shinning over the kingdom, eight more had come to swirl around the first, sharing their light as well. At times, the stars would fly so close to the first star that it was hard to separate them. The Sisters turned back to the queen with warm smiles. **

**"Dear Queen, don't be sad. The future shows a circle of stars surrounding the one who will be called the Moon Princess.**

**"What does that mean?"**

**"It means there will be others to share the burden with the princess. Go back to the girls that wait for your decision. Take them all into your home and train them all. They have each offered themselves so there will be no refusal. As the years turn, the one who will bear the Silver Crystal will be revealed. Go with a light heart. The child will not be as alone as you first thought. She will grow very close to the others and they will be like a family."**

**Thus, the Queen did so and she began to train the girls. **

**The years passed, and the girls did become very close. At times it was hard for the queen to separate her daughter from the other eight princesses. Sadly, however, the queen was unable to discover which girl was to be the Moon Princess.**

**A darkness in the universe began to swell and the Queen grew frightened. A third time, she called out to the Fates and pleaded for their consul. Again they dropped down from the heavens and stood before the Queen. **

**"Dear Queen, we have heard you and we know this is difficult. Be encouraged, for we have found a way to reveal your champion. The girls have begun to grow into strong warriors and will be greatly useful when the Day of Darkness hits your kingdom. When you find the princess, the rest of the girls will become special guardians of the princess. They are all very fond of one another and would never leave the one's side. Do not try to separate them, but instead embrace their love and grace them with special responsibilities towards the Moon Princess. **

**"Four of the girls shall be the outer wall of protection to the princess. One shall be the Oracle, a seer to for tale of future transgressions. One shall be the Destroyer, an executioner of individuals who go against the kingdom. The other two will be the Gatekeepers, appraisers of those who wish an audience with the princess. **

**"The rest of the girls shall be an inner circle of bodyguards that will be especially close to the Moon Princess. One shall be the Staff, a leader to the Circle. Two shall be the Arrow and the Sword, offensive attackers against those who challenge the Princess. The last shall be the Shield, the final defense to protect the Princess."**

**The Queen immediately took the words they said and began to carefully watch the girls. With time, each of the girls began to shine in new light and the Queen began to see exactly what the Sisters of Fate had told her. **

* * *

Ami was startled out of her words when she heard a light snore. She took immediate notice of the limp weight pressed against her shoulder and the warm feel of Diana's face tucked beneath her chin. She smiled as she closed the book and cradled the small child in her arms. She carefully made her way to her feet which was quite difficult with Diana in her arms. Once she was standing, she walked over to an empty counter top and gently shifted the girl to her new bed. Ami glanced around the room and spotted a rumbled blanket on the floor by Artemis. She snatched it up. Returning to Diana's side, she tucked the little girl to bed. Ami sighed as she stared at the girl. So small and innocent. She didn't deserve to grow up in the middle of so much warfare.

The nurse turned away. _'There's nothing to be done about that.'_

Her blue eyes landed on the discarded book. She hadn't finished it. There hadn't many pages left. Ami stepped forward with every intention to read the last pages, but instead of swiping it off the floor, she towered over it. There a stirring in her soul. Perhaps, it was anxiety of the story fairytale ending. The next page would bring to light new information about their past; the fragment that was lost.

_'If this book is actual truth. After all, I did find the book in the children's section of the library.'_

She stared down at the silver metal cover with growing trepidation. She knew in her heart that the book had to be the key to their past. It was too accurate; too perfect a portrait of Luna's words. Ami shifted her weight as she realized the book would reveal the true identity of the Moon Princess.

She inwardly wondered what ending she wanted to find. Did she want to be the Princess? Or did she want to be a guardian of her? She had never truly considered the options so now she was in stand still of indecision.

_'I don't know what I want.'_

An abrupt sound took the woman off guard. Her face snapped to the monitors and took note a peak in Zoisite's heart rate. Blue eyes shifted to the man's face and Ami's heart completely stopped. Zoisite's jade eyes were staring up at her. For ten seconds, she didn't move. She was too shock to see his bright eyes open and focused on her face.

"A-Ami…" Then, his raspy, familiar, warm voice struck her and she lurched towards him.

"Zoisite!" She was at his side, rechecking his vitals. Everything was strong. Her smile was about to burst out sunbeam. She couldn't believe everything had turned so drastically in the blink of an eye. Ami blinked back tears as she him slowly turn his head towards her. There was a slight movement beneath his blanket followed by his hand creeping out and reaching for hers. She was momentarily startled by the action, but she coolly ignored the way her heart skipped and grabbed his weak fingers. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes closed slowly and his oxygen mask became fogged as he sighed deeply, "Like I've been put in a blender and than ran over by an eighteen wheeler."

She giggled, "Not surprising after all that you did."

"Did what?...Oh, yes. I guess that would explain this horrible headache."

Ami looked to her cart and found some painkillers. She carefully read the label. "How about something for the pain?"

Zoisite nodded marginally before letting out a muffled cough, "Th-Thanks."

She pressed a needle into the pack of morphine. She lifted the bottle, watching the bubbles flutter topside. The translucent medicine caught the light, shinning rainbows into her eyes. Luna had to have stolen from a local hospital or bought off the black market to get the stuff. Ami knew it was illegal in their state to pass morphine over the counter. It had to administer by the doctor or nurse. The girl grappled for his catheter and injected the medicine into his bag. She carefully observed the drip, saw it was regulating properly, and looked back to Zoisite. "Give it a few minutes. You'll feel better soon."

His eyes were half-open, slowly dragging close. He was so exhausted. His gift must have been working hard for hours. He had been so close to the edge. He could feel it in the way his lungs stretched with each breathe. They labored to push against his ribs and they cried out as they shrunk back. His heart was throbbing in his ears, but it sounded so weak, like it would break at any moment. He had foolishly overestimated his limit.

"I'm sorry." He rasped behind the thick wall of his oxygen mask. He forced his eyes open. He wanted to see her face. For two days, he had lived a dark nightmare where her face had evaded his memories. He had been stricken with terror for the inability to recall her blue eyes and half-smile. Only the sound of her melodic laugh had found him in the dark.

"Sorry? For what?" She said, perplexed.

Zoisite breathed deep. The sound of her voice was so soothing, surprising him. He didn't remember being this hung up on her. "I didn't keep my promise to protect you."

Ami froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You saved Artemis," she whispered. Her throat tightened, making it difficult to breath. "You gave a wife and daughter their father. You saved a friend."

She shook her head viciously, "How c-could you apologize for something you should never regret doing?"

"I wanted to protect you," he coughed. She pressed his head back against his pillow and he groaned in disapproval. She didn't understand. She didn't get how afraid he had been in the dark. He thought he would forget her face and wake up to find her gone.

Ami was jubilant to have Zoisite awake and breathing at a steady pace, but he was making his turnaround like a sick joke. She was so proud he would risk his life for Artemis. He shouldn't be apologizing for it. He shouldn't be thinking about her welfare after he nearly buried himself six feet under.

"Stop this," she tried to keep her voice even as she spoke, but there was a welling urge to yell. "I'm not your ward."

"Shhh." He whispered, gently grasping her hand. "Please, don't be angered by what I say. I merely want you to understand how important you are to—"

"To the kingdom," she replied curtly. Her anger was seeping into her heart, squeezing the life from her.

"No!" he exclaimed, clawing at his mask. He wasn't unable to undo the plastic strap, but he was able to pull the cup off his mouth. "No, you're important to me. You know that."

She hesitated.

"I know…" she mumbled heatedly, "But, please, don't put me before someone who desperately needed you."

She squeezed his hand, "Artemis is alive because you helped him. You didn't stop to think about me. You did what was needed and saved a man. I'm glad you didn't hesitate. I wouldn't condone you holding back to make sure I was kept safe. My life is not worth more than anyone else."

Zoisite's turned away. He knew his next answer would break her. "I will not lie to you, Ami. I don't ever want to lie to you. But do not believe Artemis, Luna, and I have gone through such lengths to risk our own lives in the belief that our lives weighed as much as yours."

Her hand slipped from his. "Please, Ami. Don't think we do not love you. Luna and Artemis love you like you were their own daughter and I have always felt a close bond with you."

Her face was hidden from his view as she shifted towards the door. Her chest was so empty. The cold air wasn't as soothing as it used to be to her. The air was like walls of a prison, pressing against her. "You all are living for a shadow. I'd wish you would stop thinking of me as some savior. I hate for the day when I will disappoint you."

Tears slipped down her face unnoticed. "I've never been strong. Out of all us girls, I have been the weak link in the chain. I'm the escape route when things go wrong. I'm the one who decide strategies I can't even attempt to act out. I'm the girl everyone watches out for when a fight ensues. I'm telling you, I'm not your Messiah. Take Lita or Rei, but not me. I'm not her."

Zoisite forced himself to his elbow. His muscles strained as his arms trembled.

"Ami—"

"Just s-stop it," she stuttered, her tears clouding her vision. "I don't want to disappoint anyone anymore."

"Ami!" he called as she fled the room. He was completely taken by surprise when she had made for the door. He hadn't expected her to run. He wanted to follow her, to grab her, and never let go. He wanted to tell her over and over again how much he loved the woman he had come to know, not the shadow he had once chased. Perhaps, he was getting ahead of himself by calling it love, but he couldn't let her be so cruel to her person. It hurt him beyond his capacity.

He pressed his forehead into the countertop, exhausted. There was no way he could chase her. He was still too weak. Already he was gasping for breath. He rolled onto his back and readjusted the mask over his face. He took in long, deep breathes. In a few hours, after his body had finished healing itself, he would run after her.

_'Just you wait, Ames. I'm not done with you.'_

* * *

The stairwell blared with her footsteps. Before when she had come down with Luna, the air had been quiet, but not it was explosive with her sneakers hitting the heavy metal surface. Ami couldn't get pass the noise. It was so odd to hear after hours of soft, beeping machines. It was as if a storm was at her heels. Might as well by the way her heart pounded.

Ami burst pass the door, flew through the dark office that had been Zoisite's bed, and stumbled out into the hall. She could feel the tears on her face, but she didn't bothering wiping them. No one would be up so early. It was barely six in the morning. By the next hour, the house would start to groan and mumble with the sound of the waking dead, but for now she had it to herself to think upon what had just transpired.

The nurse swung around the corner and found her way to the coffee pot. She instinctively began the mindless process of preparing her much needed caffeine. There was no point in trying to go back to bed. The girls would wake her up with their tossing and turning, and Ami was too worked up to fall back to sleep. She might as well start breakfast and sort her thoughts. The coffee pots sizzled and soon the black liquid began to drip.

Ami leaned against the counter top, overlooking the need to turn on the kitchen light. The darkness was comforting. It gave her less to look at and be distracted with. She exhaled slowly and ran her fingers through her bangs.

_'Tonight has been surreal.'_

She glanced at the close blinds. There was a slight softness beyond them. It was too earlier for the sunrise, but it wouldn't be too much longer.

_'Glad it's almost over. After breakfast, I'll take a nap.'_

Her thoughts immediately shifted to Zoisite down below her feet. She gritted her teeth as she recalled the sound of his muffled breaths behind the oxygen mask. _'Where had they gone and ended up in such danger? Could they have found the NVerse base? Had they ventured inside? He would have known better than to head into their den without proper back up. They told us the NVerse is comprised of advanced, supernatural soldiers. Not to forget to mention the fact that there are four generals who have already bested us.'_

Ami pulled out a coffee mug. _'After all this drama, there's no way the girls and I will let Luna and the others keep us in the dark. If I don't demand answers, someone else will. Besides, I'm not going to let Artemis and Zoisite keep putting themselves in danger when we're ready and able to assist them.'_

The dark liquid was poured into her cup, filling her nostrils with the amazing scent of caffeine. As she began to add her sugar and cream, she unknowingly smiled at her favorite morning treat. She brought the cup to her lips and sampled the concoction. Perfect, yet her smile still disappeared.

There was a faint footstep behind her making the woman jump. Ami whirled around and sighed in relief to see Lita studying her. "Oh thank goodness, it's just you, Lita."

The brunette, who looked every bit of the statement 'just rolled out of bed', scowled as she flipped on the kitchen light. Ami blinked rapidly as the light painfully hit her eyes. Lita went straight for the coffee pot. "Who did you think it would be?"

She froze in front of her roommate and blinked several times. Ami cringed under her gaze, knowing immediately why she was looking at her.

"Ami?" Lita began slowly. "Did you…even go to bed? I don't be rude, but you look trashed, babe."

The girl sheepishly ran her fingers through her hair. "I didn't sleep well. Don't worry. I'll get a nap after."

She went to take a sip from her mud when Lita leaned over and swiped drink from her roomie's hand. The brunette gave her a pointed glare. "How about you go to sleep now? Come on, Ames. You look ready to fall over."

"That's why I have this," The blue-haired woman gently took back her coffee. "I was going to make breakfast and then go to bed. If I try to go to bed, I won't be able to sleep."

Lita crossed her arms and towered over her friend. "Something happened last night, didn't it?"

Ami nervously played with her mug.

"I mean." Lita carefully stated. "I could have sworn I saw you leave the room last night, but I was so tired from sparring that I thought I was hallucinating. But I'm guessing you did get up in the middle of the night. Right?"

Ami's eyes dropped. There was no way to hide from her or the others. Sooner or later they would find out what had happened and where she had been tonight. Her hands clutched the mug tighter.

"I…"

"Oh, Lita and Ami you are already up!"

Lita jerked her face towards the kitchen door. "Luna?"

Ami looked up through her eyelashes. Surprised, but relieved to see the woman entering the room. She had taken time to shower and redress, looking like the suburban model once more. Ami was tempted to scold her for not sleeping, but technically she was doing the same thing. Luna dismissed the look she was receiving from the nurse and calmly cross the room. She tossed back her dark waterfall of hair and reached over for own cup of coffee.

"I'm surprised you would be up so early," she commented lightly, stirring some Splenda into her coffee. "With all the training you have been doing, I thought you would all be out for the count."

Ami said nothing, knowing all to well what Luna was implying. Lita instead was open-mouth with shock.

"Luna where have you've been?" she exclaimed.

Their host shook her head. "Later. For now, how about we tend to breakfast? I was thinking chocolate chip pancakes."

Lita stepped forward, "But Luna—"

"Please, leave it be for now, Lita," Luna interjected with a weary tone. "Ami and I have had a very tiring night and would prefer to concentrate on breakfast. I promise you can ask all the questions you want when the others wake up. I just don't want to go through this more than once."

The brunette quickly back down and gave her roommate a sidelong look. Ami avoided her friend's intense stare and gulp down more coffee. Breakfast was going to be wonderful.

* * *

The girls slipped into the dining room, all blurry eyed and tangled hair. They were hardly prepared for the surprise waiting for them. Once their eyes adjusted and they saw their missing den mother sitting at the head of the table, they each awoke from their daze. They stumbled to a chair and dropped unceremoniously into their seat, eyes wide.

Rei was uneasy as she took her place at the table. When her eyes had opened to the new day, she sensed a shadow had passed over the house. She had rigidly sat up in bed and listened to the silence. There was no doubt something bad had settled on their fates. Entering the dining room, her suspicions had been confirmed upon spotting the dark haired woman at the head of the table. As always, however, the priestess kept her thoughts to herself and sat down beside her louder, blonder roommates.

Ami kept her head down, pushing her pancakes with her fork as the rest of the girls assaulted the waiting woman with endless questions. She was glad they overlooked her weary demeanor. She was too tired to explain anything.

"Luna?"

"When did you get back?"

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"You look tired."

Luna raised her hands for silence with a tight smile. "It's okay. Please, calm down. I'm alright."

"But Luna!" Mina cried, "Where have you've been? We've been so worried."

"I'm alright. It was not me that has been in danger these last weeks."

Silence immediately covered the table. It was not hard to read between the lines. "Are the boys okay?"

Luna smiled with barely constrained joy, "They are now. Thanks to Ami."

Everyone whirled towards the blushing girl. They were a little startle to hear Ami had been involved during the woman's mysterious disappearance without their knowing. It definitely wasn't like her to go doing something without them behind their backs. "What?"

"Don't jump to conclusions, ladies. Last night I went into your room and woke Ami. I needed her nurse expertise. That was the first night she had seen me this month."

The girls immediately apologized for their jump to judgment. Ami smiled, waving off their apologies. She completely understood from where they were sitting. She would have thought the same thing from Luna's words.

Luna stared down into her coffee mug. "The first month you were here, Artemis had been using his free time to track down the NVerse's base. He found it over five weeks ago."

"Five weeks?"

"Yes."

"Wow, so we found them."

Luna nodded, "Our plan was to learn the layout of the base while you were training. It was my personal hope that you all would have unlocked the true range of your gifts by the time Artemis had finished mapping the base. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to keep completely hidden and the base went on full alert. Zoisite joined Artemis in his efforts and together they were able to evade most of the NVerse's security."

Her face grew tight, "The other night Artemis went on a lone run. Zoisite was supposed to catch up with him at a later hour. The NVerse had laid a trap for them and Artemis got cornered. Zoisite barely got there in time to pull him out."

Each word sounded painful for her. She was reliving the terrifying moments of having her husband dragged into the house covered in his own blood. They lived a dangerous life, but she obviously did not witness he husband hurt so badly on a regular bases. Serena leaned across the table and tenderly gripped the woman's shaky hand. Luna smiled at the woman's support.

Inhaling deeply, the woman continued, "Zoisite went through great lengths to save his life. He went so far that he put himself into a coma."

Mina gasped while the rest of the girls stiffened.

"I woke Ami up to help me revive both men. Luckily, they both have survived and are sleeping downstairs."

Ami scowled and looked towards Luna. How had she known that Zoisite had woken? Had she gone downstairs to check up on the men?

"Oh my gosh."

"That's terrible that they went through that," Rei mumbled. The girls nodded in agreement. Serena somberly turned to Luna, "Did they at least finish their work on getting a layout of the base."

Scarlet eyes slid close with sorrow. "No. They were able to record most of base's network, but there are some chunks of the building that they were unable to reach."

The table was rigid. All sights were set on the delicious meal growing cold in front of their faces. Ami's stomach lurched and twisted. Luna's response meant that the men needed to go back and finish what they had started. They would have to go back into that dangerous pit.

"I know you want to help, girls. Please, understand I have wanted to be there for them more than ever since they came back three days ago, but we cannot help them in these efforts."

"Why not?" Lita cried.

"Seriously!" Mina added. "They nearly died and you don't want us to get involved. Isn't this our fight, after all?"

Ami didn't look up.

Luna glanced to her. "We cannot allow any of you to put in danger before you are ready. Our goal is to take out the leader of the NVerse or uncover the location of the Silver Crystal. Whichever comes first. You are training specifically to reawaken your past which is connected to your gifts. From there we hope to use your memories to uncover the location of the Silver Crystal. Our second objective is much harder. We have to pass through the Generals to get to their leader. It's going to take more than Artemis and Zoisite to do this, so we need you to be fully prepared for what you would find in the base. Please, understand girls that we are doing our very best to prepare before we go in head first into the NVerse's territory."

Serena bit down on her lower lip and welled with tears. Mina hugged her gently, knowing the girl was upset about people were getting hurt while they sat on the sidelines. Rei crossed her arms and glared out the kitchen window.

Luna's shoulder drooped, "To top things off, the NVerse has been doing a good job of tracking us. Artemis and I having been doing our best to throw off their scents, but they have been persistent. We are running out of time."

Ami's heart thumped faintly against her ribs.

"It is vital you continue to train."

The sound was growing fainter with each word.

"You all will be in endangered if they knock on our doorstep in the next few days."

It was as if her heart was breaking.

"They will go through any lengths to acquire the Silver Crystal."

No, her heart was dying. That's why her chest was so hollow.

There were heavy footsteps out in the hall. Questioning eyes drew towards the entry way though it was an easy guess of who was on the other side. The door swung and the entry was soon filled with the two men of the house. Luna hastily pushed out of seat and went to her husband. He welcomed her with a bear hug. Zoisite kindly step around the pair and took the nearest seat, right between Serena and Lita. Luna pulled back with worried eyes.

"Should you be up?" she questioned softly. "You've barely woken a few hours ago."

Artemis kissed her brow affectionately. "I'm hungry, darling. We could smell all the way down in the basement. We promise not to push ourselves."

Luna gave him a skeptical look. "Is Diana still sleeping?"

"I put her in her bed and promised to wake her later for an early lunch. She was too cranky to get up for breakfast. Let her sleep."

The woman rolled her eyes with a small laugh, "I'm not surprise. She was up all night trying to help me."

Together the couple took their usual seats at the head of the table. The girls eagerly welcomed the men back and politely filled two plates heaping with pancakes. Zoisite snatched up his plate and began to inhale the contents. Beside him, Serena was also shoveling all the food she could into her tiny mouths. It was as if they were all watching a food eating contest. For several minutes, no one touched their plates, only watched in amazement as the duo completely cleaned their plates in less than three minutes. When they both lifted their heads and saw the circle of eyes on them, they in perfect union said, "What?"

Laughter vibrated around the table, bringing some reverence to the previous anxiety. Rei, however, was untouched by their happiness. She was still edgy and stiff in her seat. The cloud still hung overhead. Even with obvious reason to rejoice, she could not shake off the feeling that today would not end on such a light note.

_'What's wrong? Why do I feel this dark omen?'_

Her eyes shifted towards the quiet nurse. She studied the weariness in her features and the shadows clouding her face. _'Is it just Ami I'm sensing? Is the cloud I feel merely her?'_

She bit her lip. _'But why is she this way? Shouldn't she be excited that Zoisite is alive? I don't understand.'_

Ami could feel someone watching her. She pushed back her thoughts and looked up. She instantly caught Zoisite's stare and froze. He soon turned away and began eating again. Her sight swiveled away. Her mind was too heavy from the lack of sleep to think properly. She listened to the comfortable talk between everyone, numb.

"—wait till lunch to talk about the NVerse—"

"Bring the maps—"

"—training tomorrow again—"

"—let rest."

Her blue eyes stared out at the slow snowfall. The cold whispered to her. She could feel its arms reaching out, begging her to come outside. Maybe a walk outside would help her.

She shook her head. No, she needed sleep. Yea, sleep.

"Ami?"

She blinked and suddenly the table was empty. Her mind shook as she looked at empty seat with growing apprehension. When had she missed them getting up? How had breakfast passed so quickly? What were the last words she remembered?

"Ami?"

She looked up towards Zoisite, surprised to see him at her elbow, having never noticing him before that moment. "Huh?"

He grinned mischievously, "Would you come for a walk with me?"

_Walk in the snow. _

_Go to the snow._

She blinked again. Confused. What was wrong with her?

_'I'm tired, stupid.'_

She awkwardly rose from her chair, glancing around. "Where are the others?"

Zoisite chuckled, "They went to take their showers while Artemis and Luna gathered everything they need to talk about the NVerse. You were totally obviously when they tried to get you to take a nap. I told them I would take care of you."

"Oh," she said bashfully. "I was completely tuned out."

"I figured."

"Sorry."

"It's okay," he said, leading her towards the back door. "I know you're tired."

Ami weakly fought against his grip.

"I should go to bed," she weakly mumbled.

"No, it will be useless to go to bed now. You'll only get an hour at most. Might as well stay awake and go to bed after the big meeting."

She groaned loudly, "Why can't I go to bed and we have the meeting later?"

"Actions need to be taken immediately. The whole idea is to include you girls in the meeting because everyone was so adamant to be taken into consideration after the whole near-death-mess with Artemis and myself."

"What?"

He stared at her with his hand hesitating on the doorknob. "You were totally out of it, weren't you? Didn't you hear how loud Mina got half-way through breakfast?"

Ami shook her head making Zoisite roll his eyes with a wry laugh. He pushed open the door and the cold blast hit her. She became suddenly aware that she had a coat on and realized Zoisite had put it on her. She stumbled down the steps. Her boots immediately sunk into the heavy drifts, making her shiver.

"Do we have to do this?" she whined softly.

He wrapped a solid arm around her shoulder. She guessed it was mostly to keep her upright instead a romantic move.

"The cold will wake you up and a good walk will get the blood flowing." She heard him say. "Besides, I want to talk to you."

"A-About what?" she mumbled, wrapping her coat tighter.

"Something," he said evasively. "I want to wait till you wake up a little more."

"Okay," she yawned, unable to think of a good reason to fight his logic. _'Man, once I'm rested, I'm going to punish him for keeping me from my bed."_

She faintly saw the fence being pushed aside. The cold wrapped around her, caressing her soul like an affectionate lover. She inhaled and tiny needles pricked in her lungs. It was so deliciously cold. With each step, she became more and more aware of her surroundings. The trees and rocks became recognizable. The landscape was a familiar home instead of fuzzy colors. Her legs strengthened and she pushed back her urge to sleep. Unfortunately, Zoisite was too busy thinking about what he was going to say to Ami and she still wasn't alert enough to hear the bell-like charms at the edge of the forest.

* * *


	20. The Bell Tolls

**_A/N: I've been waiting to this chapter forever. It still was hard to write because I wanted to shove so much more into it, but for good reason it is what it is. I hope you love it! Please remember to review!  
_**

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 20: The Bell Tolls_

* * *

The world was quiet, careening on this moment that was theirs. He could feel it. The deeper they got into the woods, the more his throat tightened. He hadn't intended to take the step he was walking. He had merely planned to keep her awake until the meeting and leaves his words for after her nap. Yet, there was a strong urge to pull her out into the snow, to stand out in its white cradle, and just breathe in her being.

Perhaps, it was the fragments of dreams that pushed him. There were always images of her surrounded by white, her face flushed with a yearning smile. The wind would comb through her canary blue hair and her eyes would twinkle. Her laughter skipped across the breeze. Maybe his urge to pull her outside was a simple wish to see her smile with the white snow shinning behind her.

Ami pulled to a stop when they reached the clearing they had dubbed the training arena. Her blue eyes blinked slowly, her body aching to drop down into the heavy drifts and fall asleep. She would have to remember to hit Zoisite later for keeping her up all night worrying about him. She blinked again and her fingers uncurled. Her joints ached.

"Ami."

Her body swiveled, all in slow motion. His jade eyes were looking pass her at some random point. Snow floated down around them. The might as well as be two people in a snow globe. Zoisite forced his face down to look her in the eye. He was momentarily distracted by how blue her eyes look against the white backdrop.

"Ami, I—" he began tenderly. His mouth went dry when he saw her blank stare. She was definitely exhausted.

"What?" she mumbled in a daze. The cold was waking her up, but she was still adrift in sea of fuzzy thoughts.

He took a deep breath, "I want to apologize for upsetting you earlier."

Ami growled lowly, "Why do you keep apologizing? I wish you would stop."

She shuffled away. His eyes followed her movement, tantalized by her withdrawn beauty. The smallness of her nose, the curve of chin, all of it made him inhale sharply. She was so like the image in his dreams and yet, distinctly separate.

"Do you… dream of the past?" The question came unbidden from his lips, but once it had hit his ears, he found himself wanting to know the answer. He wondered if she to was chasing a shadow.

Ami was unsure how to reply. She was concerned that he was hoping for more from her. Maybe he wished for a connection between her and him in shared dreams. She didn't want to give him another shadow to chase. Her head leaned back, study the gray underbelly of the thick, overhead clouds. She sighed, "I started having dreams around the time I was kidnapped by the NVerse. They were quite frequent for a while, but lately they've stopped."

"What did you dream about?"

Ami's jaw grew tight. She lowered her face and glared at the man beside her. "Is this wanted to talk about? My dreams?"

He smiled at her sudden change in temperament. "Nah. I was just suddenly curious."

Ami's eyes were still hard. "Well, they weren't the same as yours if that's what you're getting at. My dreams were actually a progressive timeline of scenes from my past. I won't deny that you were in a few of my dreams, but they were mere glimpses. I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear."

Zoisite shook his head, eyes soft. "It's fine. I said I was only curious."

She studied the trees as he studied her.

He shifted, "You say that you saw your past? What was it like?"

"It was soft, cheerful memories," she stated wryly. "I saw myself under strict royal conduct and heavy training. The girls were there and so were the generals. Most of the images weren't exactly my memories. They were instead always from a distant perspective as though seen from above me. At times, I wasn't even in the room or area, yet I saw things that seemed every bit real to my senses."

A thought broke through her flashbacks. She stiffened.

Her eyes shifted towards him with an intense stare, "What were your dreams like?"

Zoisite closed his eyes. "They weren't memories. At least, I don't think they were. All of my dreams were filled with your image with your laughter as backdrop music. However, the scene was usual from random spots I use to visit back home. I would see you at my favorite coffee shop or at the park. There were some dreams, however, where the scenery was unfamiliar. I saw unnamable ruins and some white field. But, there was never anyone else in the dreams. Only you."

Ami frowned._ 'Why are they different? If this is a result of our powers awakening as I had come to think then why are they so different?'_

She yawned loudly. _'Not like I could think properly at this moment. I'm too tired.'_

Zoisite shuffled. "Anyways, getting back to what I wanted to talk to you about."

Ami tensed.

"I want you understand why I apologized earlier—"

"I understand," she interrupted curtly. "You had promise Artemis to protect the Moon Princess so when you deviated you felt obligated to apologize for leaving me without proper protection."

Zoisite glowered. "That's not it. I was apologizing because I wanted to protect you."

_'Wanted?'_

"I've wanted to protect you ever since I first saw you in my dreams. You kept calling to me, usually with a smile on your face, but there were times when you ran into the darkness. I once heard you crying."

Ami blinked rapidly as she was abruptly thrown into a waking dream.

* * *

_**-Dream-**_

_**It was the middle of the night; she was hunched over some type of flat stone table. Her face was pressed into her arms and her shoulders were shaking. Her sobs were louder than they should have been in her ears. Slowly the scene drew back, and she saw that she was crying on a table by on the steps below the royal throne.**_

* * *

"Ever since the first time I heard you cry, I swore that I would find you and take away your tears."

* * *

_**"Please, make me stronger," her flashback self sobbed. "Do not let me be a crutch to hinder my friends. Let me fulfill my duty. Let me protect them."**_

* * *

The flashback made her shaky. The sobs had racked her down to the marrow of her soul. Even back then, she was less than confident about her abilities. Was it somehow a guilt pass to her through the lifespans?

"You are still searching for a shadow," Ami whispered. "I wish you would stop looking for her. She's no longer here."

"I know that," he stated fiery. "Would you please stop assuming you know me so well? What if I told you that I made a new vow the night you were kidnapped by the NVerse."

Her heart went rigid.

"I saw the news reports. I saw how you were portrayed by your friends and families. After a week, I realized the girl in my dreams was merely a guide to the girl in the present. I saw the pain that shrouded your love ones and I knew that behind the photographs exposed by the media that there was someone special suffering alone. I promise to find a way to you and discover the girl that held the hearts of so many."

Ami imagined her friends spending endless hours searching for her. She recalled the teary faces surrounding her the day she had returned to the house after being kidnapped. The heartache was unbearable.

Zoisite was compelled to continue. His heart was pounding and his face was growing warm. "I promise you that I haven't been chasing a shadow from my dreams these last months. I've been chasing after the shadow of the girl in front of me."

"I don't…"

He stepped closer seeing how her barriers were dropping. She was too tired to think fast enough. She for once wasn't able to hide the emotions that were plaguing her. So long, he had fought to see into her eyes, to see the passion Serena had hinted at, but all for nothing. She had always run from him, hiding behind a mask of ice cold distance.

No, today would be different.

"Why don't you see that I'm looking for the girl inside of you? I want to know you, Ames."

The coldness in her heart grew. She squeezed her eyes shut. "And, what if the girl you find there isn't what you hoped for?"

"What if she is?"

Her eyes flew open and her heart skipped. She turned to him and found his face inches from hers. Her blue eyes widened. His hands gripped her forearms, not allowing her to escape. He was tired of letting her slip out of his fingers and staying at the sidelines. She inhaled sharply as he leaned dangerously closer. The air didn't seem so cold.

"What are you trying to prove?" she feebly whispered.

His eyes were so smoky, so beautiful. He grinned, "I'm not sure myself."

She was caught.

Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of a heavy foot stepping into the snow. Zoisite's eyes went hard and he flung himself away from her. Ami gasped as he swung her behind him. She stumbled; still dizzy from the heat that was swallowing her heart. His back was rigid as it filled her vision. After taking a few breaths to steady her, she discreetly peeked over her protector's shoulder.

She froze when she saw the dark figure standing on the opposite side of the clearing. The man was in a black business suit with a brownish-orange tie. Dark, wavy hair fluttered behind him like a banner. It looked a little bit longer than Zoisite's. The man's sharp, amber eyes stared at her through thin rimmed glasses. Her heart plummeted when she saw it was the same man from the bus nights ago.

Before, he had looked so innocent. He had paid no mind to her, caring more for the book in her hand. He hadn't bothered to stare at her on the bus. Instead, he had shuffled off the bus with barely a second glance.

Now, he looked like an angry bull pawing at the edge of the field. He was blocking the path back to the house and though, his hands were hidden inside his pockets, Ami guessed he was armed. His brow was lowered, ready to charge. His perfect creased suit made him look untouchable. He reminded her of an agent off her favorite movie the Matrix. She almost laughed at how ridiculous it all sounded in her head.

"Let me have the girl and I won't kill you." His words were toneless as if he was less than concerned with them. He shifted his weight and rolled back his shoulders. One could dare to say he was actually annoyed having to attend to them.

Zoisite's hand came behind his back and search for her hand. He had to make sure she was still with him. He was relieved when she grappled for his fingers, allowing them to encircle her shaking hand. He heard her swallow. Zoisite stared back at the man with fiery determination. "You're not getting her."

The business man narrowed his auburn eyes. Ami gasped sharply as he took a firm step forward. His posture was impeccable as he strode through the snow with his dark jacket buttoned up and perfect. He was like a solider marching to war.

_'Or a general…'_ she inwardly cried. The man quickened his pace.

"Zoisite," she whispered urgently.

"I'm going to open the way for you." He rushed. "At your first chance, make a run for the house and get the others."

"No, Zoisite!" she hissed, tightening her hold. "He's a general!"

He leaned forward, muscled tensing. Zoisite took in a deep breath and reached for the gift that flared in his soul. He reached so far down he brushed the inner lining of his belly. It poured through his worn veins, quickly filling him with a pressure that vibrated through his bones. Zoisite licked his lips as he slid into a stance.

Ami's heart burst as Zoisite ripped right out of her fingers. "Zoisite!"

He launched across the clearing, his fists tightening. Clumps of white were flung up by his heavy boots and the air whistled in his ears. Even for a man, who had recently escaped death, he moved across the expanse of the clearing like a professional runner.

The unnamed business man was unmoved as Zoisite flew towards him. He was not at perfect ease regardless he had not taken a defensive posture. His eyes were sharp, assessing Zoisite as he grew closer. His jaw was tight and his muscles were tense. He was debating what to do from Ami's perspective.

She stood there with only seconds left till the two men connected. There was no way to guess which way the scale would tip. She had never seen Zoisite fight. She had no doubt he could hold his own, but she wondered how great a challenge he could be after coming out of coma hours earlier, especially with the general look every bit fierce with his cold, unafraid demeanor. Her wide eyes darted between the men.

She needed to help Zoisite. She had powers, too. She couldn't let him go in alone when she was able to call out a snow storm!

Ami whipped up her hand, calling out to the ice surrounding her. Yet, she hesitated when she saw the business man's eyes shift to her. The cold, hard pierce of his stare went all the way to her heart, stealing the breath from her. She stupidly lost concentration. When she blinked, the man had shot straight towards Zoisite. She gasped as she saw the two threw out their arms, fists curled. There was no opening for her. If she did something now, she would likely hit Zoisite. Her hand hung in the air.

Miraculous, the general's fist connected first. Ami cried out as she watched Zoisite's head was thrown backwards. Her hands flew over her mouth as his back arched and his boots slipped through the snow. Just before his face disappeared into the white blanket, Ami caught a glimpse of a black swell across his left cheek. His body hit the ground with a loud thump and didn't move.

She watched in cold shock as the general slowly straightened. He shook his fist and roved his eyes over the motionless form in the snow. Satisfied Zoisite wouldn't rise, he calmly unbuttoned his jacket, hardly impressed that he taken his opponent out in a single punch. He acted as if it taken no energy to hit him.

Ami hastily threw out her palms, calling out to the ice. She would not stand and watch like a useless girl. She couldn't win a physical fight against him, but her gift was still powerful. She never got the chance to call on her gift, however, because when she looked up she saw the muzzle of a gun pointed at her. Ami froze again. She hadn't even seen him move.

"I know you to be an intelligent woman," the man hissed, his voice pulling fear straight out of her heart. "So maybe you can answer a simply question dealing with physics. Can you make a wall of ice to protect yourself before my bullet hits?"

Ami swallowed as she gauged the possibility. There was no way she could she make a shield fast enough. She was too tired, too weak. Maybe if there were a few more feet between them she had a chance, but not today.

She anxiously glanced to Zoisite. The dark lump on the ground was still.

"You're coming with me," the man stated.

"You're with the NegaVerse, aren't you?"

He stared down the barrel of his gun. "I thought you already knew that."

"I didn't want there to be any confusion."

"Stop stalling," he replied firmly, taking a step towards her. "Get over here."

Ami's mouth was so dry. "What if I refuse?"

"Do you really think your lack of cooperation will make a difference?"

"I'd rather resist than give up," she stuttered.

Suddenly, she could see the flecks of amber in his iris. He was standing inches away from her, making her flinch backwards. He had crossed fifty yards in a single breath. That wasn't natural.

She looked down to see his free hand painfully gripping her wrist. She cried out as he gave her arm a twist. She clamped her teeth down hard as his strength increase. He was almost crushing bone. _'His gift…his gift...'_

She tried to tug free, but his grip was steel. She gasped back a sob.

"You can't run anymore, princess."

There was some difficult to describe the endless fear that washed through her. All the muscles in her body had simply evaporated. The fight in her spirit had left with it. His solid words ensured that she would again endure the nightmare lair of their labs and it made old tremors return to her body. Even with the tremors that had awakened movement in her limbs, she was unable to pull away. The fear had rooted her to the ground. That's when the dream enveloped her.

* * *

_**-dream-**_

_**There were green eyes staring at her. Blonde curls slip over and shadows crossed over those dark iris. There was so much hate in those eyes, just like the general's amber ones. She went to say something. She wasn't sure what she had intended to say, but her words constricted into a gasp as something sharp stabbed into her stomach. There was a thick, coppery taste in her mouth and when she went to take a breath there was a sickening, bubbling sound muffling her voice. Something warm slid over her chin. **_

_**She slowly looked down and saw a golden handle sticking out of her blue uniform shirt. Dark patches began to soak into the threads followed by a red hue. She tried to swallow, but she gagged. Red flecks splashed on the pale hand receding from the golden handle. Her eyes became unfocused. She blinked and saw a ring on the same hand. The colors shifted and the dagger's handle became gray. She refocused on the stone in the ring. Something about the color was very interesting. **_

_**She slumped forward as intense pain riddled her body.**_

* * *

Then, movement pass the general's jacket shoulder caught her attention. Her blue eyes darted left to see Zoisite's bruised face flying towards them as he wrap his arm around the general's throat. Ramming his elbow deep into the general's collar bone, Zoisite pressed his foot into the man's spine and yanked as hard as possible backwards.

The general lost his grip as he reared back. Ami slipped her wrist free and slumped to the ground. She was momentarily disoriented and just laid in the white snowdrift, uncaring that how her clothes were becoming wet. She blinked rapidly. She remembered a shadowy room and a dagger. She had seen that image before, but it had been so much quicker scene. Where had she seen it? Jedite's house. That's right. She had been in the kitchen, talking to Jedite when she had felt the dagger pierce her. It had felt so real. Just like this moment. The dagger, the taste of blood, all of it had been too real.

Was that how she had died?

Zoisite couldn't believe he had gone down by a single punch. He would have to give special mention, however, to extreme force behind the fist that hit. It had felt like a heavy laden train had rammed straight into his left cheek bone. There pain had knocked him off balance and leveled him to the ground. He had mutely lain there, unable to register how so much power had been fueled into the single punch.

He had been lucky Ami's cry of pain had woken him from his stupor. Pulling up to his elbows, he had been surprised to see the general painfully twisting his princess's arm. Without thinking, he launched at the man's back. Using his gift would have been better, but he was concerned about hitting Ami. He would die before he lifted a hand against her.

He gritted his teeth and rammed his heel deep into the man's spine, wishing to break it. He would make the man forget about Ami.

The general jostled backwards, obviously taken by surprise. Once he again got his footing, he, however, was unmoved by Zoisite's foot in his back. Zoisite, not to be outdone, clamped down his jaw and yanked all the harder on the man's neck.

Still nothing. The general was perfectly still like a statue of granite. He was stock with his back straight. Zoisite dug his knee into the man's shoulder, but the general didn't flinch. He didn't even show that he noticed the struggling two hundred pound man on his back.

Cold dread settled into Zoisite's stomach. His green eyes snapped to the ground and found Ami slowly rising to her feet. "Ami, run!"

She looked to him. Dazed.

"Run!"

Ami straightened, and immediately darted pass them. The general's eyes followed her. With a frightening calmness, he reached up and grabbed Zoisite's forearm. Ami heard him hit the ground like a thunder clap. She spun around and beyond large patches of white tossed into the air she saw Zoisite once again flat in the snow. Ami's heart squeezed when she heard Zoisite feebly groan. He tried to rise, but collapsed into a heap. Every inch of his body was on fire. He surely had put a crater into the ground from the force of the throw. He couldn't believe the measure of the general's strength.

_'Is that his gift? Supernatural strength?'_

The general gradually swiveled towards the mute woman. Ami was momentarily caught with indecision as she watched those cold eyes land on her. She didn't want to leave Zoisite at this man's mercy. He definitely didn't stand a snowball chance in Hell against him. Unfortunately, she doubted she would stand up much better against him. She swallowed as he stepped in her direction. Zoisite again tried to push up to his knees, but the slid in the mix of mud and snow and he crumbled. His bruised face lifted marginally. Ami was compelled to run to him. She wanted to pull him out of reach of this horrible man. She wanted to protect him from this undeserved pain. He was taking the blows for her. All of it was for her. This was her responsibility. This was all her fault.

"Ami!"

She gasped when she heard Serena's voice followed by galloping footsteps behind her. Ami whirled as the girls rushed into the clearing. She wasn't surprised to see Artemis and Luna on their heels.

"Protect Ami!" Artemis shouted.

_'Me.'_

Lita and Rei shot pass her. The wind blew threw her hair, sending a chill down her spine. She spun as they raced by her, fearful.

"No, don't!" she cried. She went to chase after them, but someone grabbed her arm. "Stop!"  
They ignored her. Rei launched into the air as Lita raced through the snow. Green light flashed. Ami was surprised to see streaks of emerald lightning trailing Lita's fists like the tail of a comet. She stopped fighting the hand holding her and her mouth fell open. _'How did…'_

Her eyes grew wide as another light overtook the clearing. Red flames danced across Rei's palm, stretching into a familiar shape. Ami's heart stopped. _'An arrow!'_

Lita slid to a stop and swung. Lightning exploded from her fist as it connected with the man's sternum. The emerald glow washed over the brunette's face as she sneered up into his surprised expression. "Enjoy!"

The air cracked as the sound of bomb ruptured. Streaks of green and blue stretched over the two. There was a smell of burning and a painful scream. The general recoiled as electrical needles pierced through his nerves. No matter how strong he was, he could defend against such a force. Instinctively, he threw his arm at the woman, hitting her under her chin. Lita's feet left the ground as she was launched upwards. The gray sky reeled overhead before she crashed onto her back, fifty yards away from the general.

"Lita!"

Rei didn't wait any longer. She had been tightening her fire arrow for the last hanging moments, waiting for a clean shot at the man. When Lita was thrown back, she immediately released her hold on the surging power in her fingers. She had been falling towards the man when her power jumped towards him. His eyes looked up seconds before the flames hit him between the eyes. His howl didn't slow her. As she descended the last few feet, she built up another surge of power into her palm. Orange and red tongues wrapped around her fist. With a furious yell, she buried her flame encrusted fist directly into the man's chest. The general's body folded together as he was propelled backwards. His back hit seconds before she pressed her flat palms against his ribs and flipped over his head.

Heat ripped through the air as the flames momentarily engulfed his pristine business suit. Ami couldn't understand what she was seeing. How had Lita and Rei manifested the gifts with such ease? What was even more astonishing was how much flare they had wielded with it. _'I've never seen them do that. At least, I've never seen Rei pull a flame arrow like that.'_

Her blue eyes stared over at the priestess as she gracefully rolled to her feet and took a defensive stance. Artemis was carefully circling around, trying to make his way over to the unmoved Zoisite. Luna was running along the opposite side, aiming for Lita's side. Serena pulled Ami against her side as Mina took a spot in front of the pair. They watched anxiously as the black form wrapped by flames shifted.

The general growled angrily as the fire began to eat at his skin. He hadn't expected the women to be so efficient. Sources said they were still training to manifest their gifts. The fire and electric girls shouldn't have been able to release their gifts. Amber eyes glowed with swelling fury. He would kill Jedite when he got back to the base.

He pushed his singed hands into the snow, relishing the sound of ice melting at his burning touch. Using age old advice, he rolled like a dog across the snow, suffocating the flames that clung to his body. Rei shuffled backwards as he rolled into her directions. The general narrowed his eyes as he rolled through the white.

Coming back to his belly, he pressed his palm and knees simultaneously into the ground and jump straight at the woman. White flew in every direction. Rei's hands flew up ready to defend herself, but as the snow floated back down she suddenly couldn't spot where the dark figure had disappeared. Her eyes darted to side. _'How did I lose him?'_

"Behind you!" Mina warning came too late. Rei's barely caught the movement of a shadow dancing on the snowy surface before she felt an eighteen-wheeler ram into her lower back.

Ami clapped her hands over her ears when she heard the most heart wrenching scream rip from her girlfriend's lips. In slow motion, Rei hit the ground, her shoulder taking most of the fall. The general towered over the fallen girl, hungry for more. The priestess was curled into a feeble position, gasping for air. Without knowing, she was rocking onto her back, her legs tangled. He hastily marched forward and stomped without mercy on the girl's ribcage. Rei's mouth flew open in a mute cry as the wind knocked out of her.

"Oh my! Rei!" Ami sobbed. She pulled hard against Serena's hands. Tears streamed down her face when she saw a clot of blood fly from her friend's lips. "We have to help Rei!"

Mina was already charging across the clearing. Her long blonde hair was a golden cap flapping behind her. Her yellow Converse kicked up through the white fluff and the sky seemed to darken overhead. She didn't even look back as she gave a loud command, "Serena, get Ami out of here!"

"What?" Ami yelled, aghast. "No! I'm not leaving you guys!"

Serena's hands tightened on Ami's arms. "Come on, Ames!"

"No! Let me go!" She howled, fighting tooth and nail against her best friend. She couldn't let them do it. She would not be the damsel to be protected. She was a fighter like them. She could help.

With heels still digging into the girl's ribcage, the general ignored his new opponent that was rapidly approaching, and instead focused on his real target. He saw the blonde pigtailed woman dragging the princess away from the scene. The blue vixen might be fighting against her companion, but she was losing precious ground. He glared at the new fighter. Mina pulled up short as the symbol of Venus flashed across her brow. His eyes narrowed on the symbol, but quickly dismissed the flicker of memory in his brain.

"I don't have time for this," he growled, stepping forward. He quickly unlocked his powers and heat rippled through his body. The world around him began to slow as he ran pass the Venus maiden. He was running so fast that it was as if his surroundings had frozen in time. His legs pumped as he went straight for the princess.

Ami flinch when she saw the general's figure flicker and disappear. It was as if he been erased from the snowy backdrop with barely a footprint to show he had ever been there. Her brain whirred with confusion at how he had managed to escape her eyes. She had not blinked or looked away. He had simply vanished like smoke. She scanned her white surrounding, trying to spot his dark form. There was no way she had missed his escape. She had been watching him beat his heel into Rei.

_'It doesn't make sense. The only one I've seen do that was Trista and even then that different. She bends time so that she moves at a faster pace than we do. We aren't able to see her move because she moving a million times faster than what the naked eye can see.'_

Ami stiffened. _'Is that how he is doing it? Is he bending time? No, his gift is in his physical capabilities. He's got amazing strength. Maybe he's—'_

Suddenly, he was a foot away from her. His fingers brushed against her throat, making her gasp. "Dear god above!"

Serena was already there, shoving the man away. "Get your hands off her!"

"Stupid girl!" He hissed, lunging again.

There was a wild blur of limbs as hands grappled for domination. His cold hand kept reaching for her, but Serena quickly slapped it away. The more they fought, the deeper Serena dove into the middle, placing her as a shield between Ami and the general. Ami was soon shoved to the side as a fourth person stepped into the mess. Artemis forced himself into the middle of the mess, grabbing the general by the neck, and shoving him back a few feet. Serena stumbled into Ami and grabbed the girl's arm to catch her balance. They both stared in surprise as Artemis began to wrestle with the general.

"Run and hide!" Artemis commanded as he gripped the man's throat. The general went to grab Artemis's wrist, but the man slapped his hand away. His amber eyes began to glow with fury. Artemis gritted his teeth as he felt the pressure growing inside the man. His eyes glanced back and saw the girls staring at him. "RUN!"

Mina came up from behind and gave a hard kick into the general's back. No one was surprised to see the man barely wince at the blow. Serena began to pull on Ami once again, trying to get her out of reach of the demonic man. Though she had previously fought against her, Ami unknowingly let her friend pull her from the clearing. Before she tore her eyes from the fight, she saw Mina hit the ground and Lita run up to take her place. Tears streamed from her eyes as she numbly followed Serena deeper into the woods.

_'It's not fair…'_

Serena urged her desperately to run faster and Ami complied with somber obedience. Her exhausted limbs plowed through the snow, her lungs screaming in icy pain. Her mind was so far away as she ran. She didn't even hear the sound of her own feet crunching down on the snow. The black trees flew by with Serena's pigtails trailing like streamers. Ami didn't see any of it. She kept seeing Lita sailing through the air, Rei coughing up blood, Mina falling, and Zoisite groaning in agony. With each painful memory, her heart squeezed tight. It was difficult to breath, and it wasn't because she was running for her life. She was surprised she could even run so fast with so little sleep.

_'I'm not this Moon Princess.'_

Serena yanked harder on her wrist. The blonde dove off the path. She knew it was a dangerous risk to head off into an area she wasn't familiar with, but she knew he would find them faster if they stuck to the path. Ami didn't even notice.

_'I'm no threat to them!'_

Tears slid down her face. She could see them each falling one after the other.

_'I don't need to be protected!'_

Her heart tore with each frantic step that she fled through the trees. She thought of her parents yelling in the living room when she was little. She recalled her cat frozen in her bed.

_'I just want to be a normal girl!'_

She thought of Michelle getting attacked at the hospital parking lot. She thought of the fire at the warehouses. She thought of sitting in the lab's dark room.

Something loud crashed out in the underbrush. Serena slid to a halt, her eyes scanning their surroundings. Her chest heaved from running. She swung her face in every direction, fearful that something was about to burst out. No one had considered that the general had a partner. What if they were running straight into a trap?

Ami clutched her friend's hand, having come to the same conclusion. Their blue eyes searched the motionless scenery with growing trepidation. Ami could hear her heart pounding. With all the thick trees surrounding them, it gave ample room for someone to hide from their eyes. She swallowed and pressed into Serena's side.

Suddenly, something dark moved. Ami thought maybe it was an arm shifting behind a tree trunk. Serena didn't take time to take a second look. She struck forth into the opposite direction of the movement, dragging Ami close behind her. Ami glanced back over her shoulder and saw a figure step out from behind the tree. Serena took a hasty turn and the tree shifted between Ami and the unknown figure. She barely was able to catch a glimpse of the man before she lost sight of him. She was struck with confusion when she realized the man had been dressed in expensive tuxedo with a brilliant red rose tucked in his copper bun.

Serena mercilessly hauled Ami through the forest. She didn't care if she was hurting Ami. She was terrified that they were being boxed in by the generals. If they got cornered, there would be no reinforcements. The girls wouldn't know they had ventured off the path or that they were immediate danger.

"Ami, we've got to—" Her words came to a halt as the general from earlier stepped into their path. Ami instantly noticed that one of the lenses in his dark glasses was shattered. His business suit was still burnt up from earlier, but now it had smudges of mud all over it. Serena froze, forcing her friend behind her back. The blonde girl shuddered at the calculating look the man gave her. Never before had she been so afraid. They had never gone against people with their own supernatural abilities. Guns and fists had their limits in the criminal world back at home, but now, they were facing immeasurable and unpredictable odds. She couldn't be sure if they would actually win this one.

"Step away from her, blondie," he coldly commanded.

Ami inhaled sharply when Serena didn't move.

Her girlfriend gave the man her toughest glare. Her legs were shaking, but there was no way she was going to let this man take her best friend. The general sighed and calmly removed his dark rimmed glasses. Tossing them into the snow, he smiled. "I just took on all your friends at one time. I'm barely scathed and you think the two of you stand a chance of escaping me."

"I honestly don't know if we can," Serena stated firmly. "But you don't expect me to hand over my friend, do you?"

He shrugged and pushed aside his long, brown hair. In a smooth dive of his hand, he whipped out his gun and pointed it at the woman. "How about if I throw in a gun? Does it make the difference?"

Serena stiffened as she looked down the barrel. Ami instead focus on the water surrounding them. Whether she knew it or not, Serena was distracting him well enough to give Ami enough time to rally her gift. She licked her lips as she felt the needles prick in her lungs. She concentrated on the barrel, letting the ice thicken over the smooth metal. She needed to freeze up the mechanism so it wouldn't be able to fire.

Amber eyes shifted. He knew what was happening, but it didn't matter. Let her believe she could stop his gun. He sneered at her, making the intern's heart drop. Without warning, she saw his free hand go back into his jacket. She saw the silver handle seconds before his hand wrapped around it.

She saw the flashes and distinctly heard the shots. She, however, wasn't really pay attention to it. She was focusing on pressing her hands against Serena's shoulder. As she pushed her aside, she reveled in the slick feel of her coat brushing against her fingertips. She looked up and saw his amber eyes widened. Before he knew it, the bullets had already planted themselves throughout her body. He might have been able to push her aside, but not before the first bullets hit. As the red splattered the white ground, the general knew in that instant that he was totally screwed.

It was often romanticized that right before a person died they would see a long black tunnel or an instant flashback of their life. Some movies said it was like a peaceful acceptance as the blood pumped out. She had once heard it to be a sudden blink like a bulb burning out. As her knees gave out, she was surprised to find none of those things happening. She simply reeled backward, saw the gray sky spin overhead, and her back hit the ground. Ami gasped as her torn flesh rubbed painfully. She tried to gasp for air, but found her body unable to take in a steady breath.

"AMI!"

There was sound of feet and snow moving. Ami swallowed and tasted that same metallic taste from her dream. All of her senses were magnified in those ticking seconds. She heard behind Serena's screams a bird screech overhead and felt the temperature of the ground. She smelt the blood before she coughed up a mouthful. She could see in Serena's teary eyes a hint of green hiding in her blue iris.

For some odd reason, she smiled, but she couldn't say why. She grinned up into her friend's sobbing face. Her smile quickly changed into a grimace. She gasps as a wave of excruciating pain ripped through her chest. It felt like something had exploded inside her and was tearing her from the inside out. She began to sob uncontrollably.

She wished she could stop her shameless cries, but it was too painful. Her voice wheezed with a loud shrill through the branches. Serena pressed a hand against her cheek, tearful telling her things were going to be okay. Ami watched her bloody hand recede from her face and knew differently. The blonde stared at her red palm with unbridle horror. Ami felt her body began to slow. The snow was crying all around as if it felt exactly what she was suffering. The petite woman let herself sink deeper into the pain, unable to fight it off.

Serena pushed to her feet and spun to face her friend's killer. The general stared mutely at the bloody girl, unable to believe his twist of luck. He should have been faster. He had always been considered to be the lesser of the four, but there was no way he could screw up this badly. The blonde girl unexpectedly caught his attention. He blankly looked up and saw her raising her palm. Ami's face slid to the side. It was easier to breathe that way. With eyes glazed over, she looked to see her friend taking a stance against her attacker. She tried to call to her, but only blood sputtered out.

Gold filled the fallen girl's vision and for a moment she wondered if she had slipped into Heaven. Heat washed over her and soon she recognized the light to be coming from Serena's palm. The general cried out as the blonde woman released her gift into a ferocious beam of heat and light. Ami blinked slowly and the white returned with the smell of burning flesh. She heard a groan. Her eyes focused on the streaks of yellow hair and found her friend's worried expression rushing towards her.

Ami went numb. The pain, the blood, breathing, all of it disappeared as her eyes took in the light shining on her friend's forehead. The girls, including herself, had all bore planetary symbols whenever they had flared enormous amount of their gifts. Yet, burning brightly on Serena's brow was not a planetary symbol like theirs, but the curve of a crescent moon. It was the same crescent moon that Luna, Artemis, and Diana wore on their forehead.

"That symbol…" Ami gurgled.

Serena leaned closer, "What did you say, Ami?"

The symbol quickly faded and the woman's brow became smooth again. Ami stared at the space, regardless that the symbol had disappeared. Her entire being was shaken all the way to the core of her spirit. She couldn't believe it.

Zoisite burst suddenly into the clearing, charging straight pass them. Her eyes began to close unbidden as he blurred pass. She vaguely saw him pitch something at the general's chest. A small stone flew through the air, the dim sunlight reflecting off the surface, and crash into the man's white shirt. The general's mouth dropped open in a silent scream and his hands flew to his chest. Ami slipped closer to the edge. She told herself she was hallucinating. How else would she explain a stone disappearing into a man's chest? Besides, when she blinked, the general had disappeared. Maybe she was blacking out.

She was drifting so far away. Zoisite dropped at her side and she saw guilt filling his beautiful green eyes. His hands pressed against her side and she knew as long as he was there she would live. Light began to flow from his hands. Serena was smiling with such relief

Even still, there was a sad, peace wrapping around the bleeding woman's heart. Tears continued to stream down her face, but it wasn't from the pain of healing. She didn't know why she was crying. No matter how much she told herself that everything was alright, there was distinct urge to curl up into a ball and sob. Ami let her eyes close, ignoring their pleas to stay awake. She drifted into the darkness, finally finding the chance to sleep after being so rudely denied by Zoisite earlier.

_'It was never me…'_ The small thought echoed as she slipped over the edge into desperate sleep.

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_**A/N: Make me smile! REVIEW!  
**_


	21. Hold to a Single Candle

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**_A/N: I'm very happy with this chapter. _**

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_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

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_Chapter 21: Hold to a Single Candle_

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Ami angrily slapped away Zoisite's hands as she gingerly sank into the nearest kitchen chair. "Would you stop? I said I was fine!"

Zoisite winced. She definitely had reacquired her strength. There was a distinct red mark flaring up on his hand. He bit down on his tongue and once again reached for her. Ami glared and shoved his hands back. "I'm alive, Zoisite. Would you mind tending to the others that are in far worse conditions?"

She waved adamantly towards the rest of the party who had each taken a seat around the dining room table. Mina was favoring a broken wrist and a busted lip. She pressed a bloody cloth to her mouth, whimpering. Serena had been spared with only a minor bruise and had knelt next to Lita. The young brunette had gotten badly scrapped when she had hit the ground. The back of her shirt was ripped to threads and covered in blood from where she had slid across rocks. She also had a massive bruise under her chin. Rei bore the worst with several broken ribs and a newly healed punctured lung. Artemis, though scrapped, was at her elbow, offering up valuable energy to heal her injuries.

Zoisite shook his head and dropped into the seat next to the blue-haired nurse. His eyes immediately dropped to the red holes dotting the front of her lavender shirt.

"I beg to differ," he grumbled. He pushed aside the collar of her coat to get a better look at her shirt. "They didn't get shot by a full magazine of bullets."

She frantically ripped her coat closed, blushing. "I'm fine! You healed me!"

Zoisite rolled his eyes, "I just want to make sure I knit the wounds close properly. I was a little frantic when I did them."

Ami shoved his hands, yet again, earning a frustrated growl from the man. She haughtily turned up her noise to his note of anger. "Heal them first. Then, you can do a check up."

Zoisite groaned and pushed out of his chair. "Fine."

He strode purposefully to Rei. Gently, he pushed Artemis aside, muttering something about the man regaining his strength. The white haired man stepped back with obvious resistance. Artemis knew they were both still weak with their earlier dance with death. In all honesty, neither of them should be healing any of the girls since they had drained their excess strength during the fight.

"Make sure to only heal her major injuries," Artemis instructed, firmly. "We can't risk either of falling unconscious again."

Zoisite nodded. "Don't worry. I wasn't planning to do anything more than necessary."

The dining went quiet as the soft, emerald light began to envelope the man's hands. Only Ami had been the one to see him heal Serena so it was no wonder their eyes grew wide when they saw Rei's bruised skin return to it's healthy pink hue. She winced as her bones reset upon their own accord and the marrow fused back together. Zoisite kept his eyes on her shirt, focusing on gift traveling through her body. He could almost see the strands of marrow intertwining and the bones flexing below the surface. Tentatively, the girl pressed her hands against her ribs.

Rei was astonished, "It doesn't hurt."

Zoisite pulled back his hands and the glow diminished. The others leaned over to inspect his work, shocked as much as the mute priestess. Their inspection was quickly forgotten, however, when the blonde healer swayed and stumbled back. Artemis had been prepared, and was there to catch him before he made a disastrous fall. Ami slid to the edge of her seat, clutching the edge. Zoisite passed a hand over his face with a wry sigh, "I'm quite spent."

"As should be expected you, foolish boy," Artemis scolded as he drug the man to a chair. "If my hair were not already white, I swear…"

Zoisite chuckled beneath his breath as he took his seat. His good humor was short lived when a wave of dizziness passed through him. He grabbed the table's edge and squeezed his eyes shut. Perhaps, he had overdone it.

Luna unexpectedly appeared into the dining room with a pink apron strapped on and carrying heaps of blankets in her arms. Close behind her was little Diana clutching several bottles of water. The woman hastily tossed all, but one blanket to the floor as she rushed to Zoisite's side. It was painfully obvious that he gone pale. She wrapped the blanket around the hunched over man, tucking the ends into his lap.

"Zoisite, I told you earlier to hold off," she grumbled with a worry brow. "You've done quite enough these last days. It's all too much stress on your body."

He shook his head, mumbling. "No, I need to—"

"Rest!" Luna stressed, patting his shoulder. She gently pressed a kiss to his crown, and swept back the hair from his face. "No one is closer to death than you. Enough can be done with my hands regardless that they are not as miraculous as yours."

He grabbed her hand, eyes still closed, and gave it a grateful squeeze. The beautiful woman smiled before turning over to girls. Diana hurried to her side, offering up the bottles and blankets. Together the ladies began to tuck the girls in their on warm cocoons.

Ami leaned back in her seat and let her eyes fall back to her lap as she waited for her blanket. Unconsciously, her sight drifted to her numb fingers, studying the red pattern that was splashed across her pale skin. She curled her fingers. The blood had already crusted over and made her joints stiff. Slowly, her eyes shifted to her shirt. Each hole torn through her shirt was so out of place. Without any pain to connect the bullet holes to, her shirt looked and felt like some costume from a school play. Her bloody finger gingerly grazed the edge of a hole. The shirt was barely frayed where the bullets hit. She had always imagined it would be a wider rip.

Diana stepped up and wrapped the dazed girl in one of the blankets. Her short arms struggled for several minutes to reach around the woman's shoulders before the nurse came to herself and gave assistance. Once she was covered, Diana came back around and followed her mother's example in wrapping the blanket around the nurse. Ami softly thanked her and took the offered water bottle. She hadn't realized how thirsty she had become until the bottle had been held out to her.

Mina bit down on her lower lip as Luna finished the splint for her wrist. The brunette tucked the battered limb against her chest, wincing as it flared in pain. Luna dug into one of large apron pockets and produced a rattling bottle of pills. With a wry grin, Mina gratefully received the pain killers.

"This will do for now I hope, at least until Zoisite is in better health," Luna said.

Mina nodded earnestly, "Oh yes. These are plenty. I promise you I've dealt with far worse injuries than a broken wrist."

"Thank you." Luna turned to Rei and Lita. "How are you girls fairing?"

Lita shrugged with some difficulty. "Not too bad. I would like some of those, however, if you don't mind."

The pills were passed, and Luna shifted to Rei. The young priestess pressed her hand against her ribcage and inhaled deeply, testing Zoisite's work. She was shocked, yet, still, to find no discomfort. His work was impeccable.

"Rei, do you care for some pain killers?"

The dark haired beauty shook her head. "There's no pain to worry about. It's all gone."

Luna grinned, "Glad to hear it."

Talk quickly evaporated from the table as the group began to relive the terrifying hour. They hadn't expected a single general to cause so much distress. They had believed they could handle one general. It was a horrifying truth to know they stood little chance against the NVerse's forces. What made it worse for the girls was the fact that they were the underdogs of the fight, a fact that had never been true in all the years they had done missions for Luna. It shook them to the core to be vulnerable like they had in the last hour.

Mina shifted awkwardly in her seat, "Was that man a general?"

Heavy hearts filled with fear. Ami recalled those cold, amber eyes. "Yes, he said he was."

Zoisite nodded in agreement. "I think it was Nephrite."

"Nephrite?" Lita asked, skeptical.

"He's the lesser of the four generals." The blonde man raked his fingers through his tangled hair. He found a knot crusted with blood and wrinkled his nose. "He was said to be strong, but I had never guessed him to be that strong."

"Lesser?" Mina said, aghast. "He plowed us into the ground without breaking a sweat. We're lucky he turned tail. I mean you threw a_ pebble_ at him, Zoisite."

"I don't want to face Malachite again if that guy was the lower level," Serena whined. She wrapped her blanket tighter as she glowered in her seat. She was completely drained from the fight and her stomach was growling. She was absolutely miserable.

"How'd he even find us?" Rei snapped, furiously.

"Zoisite and I saw him on the night bus weeks ago," Ami admitted softly. "But he didn't act like he knew who Zoisite and I were. He even got off the stop before ours so he couldn't have known where we lived."

Luna looked to her husband. "Could you have been followed?"

"Anything is possible," Artemis desolately replied. "They must have followed us the last time we left the base. They wouldn't have waited if they had always known. Do you remember anyone following you, Zoi?"

The other man shrugged somewhat. "I honestly don't know if I was followed. You were bleeding to death and I was trying to get you back to the house without catching too much attention from the public. I tried to keep an eye out for tails. I didn't see Nephrite once."

"They could have sent a lower soldier," Artemis offered. "They might have wanted someone that could blend into the crowd."

Mina waved her hands frantically, "Regardless of how they found us, the fact remains that they found us. What are we suppose to do now? We can't stay here any longer. They could be here in the hour."

"I disagree," Lita argued. "That general ran off really fast. I don't think he'll come back very quickly."

Rei scoffed at the idea, "I doubt he ran off because he was scared. Zoisite threw a _pebble_ at him, not a bomb."

"What _was_ that stone?" Serena inquired, her blue eyes blinking innocently at the man beside her. Ami immediately lifted her face to see his response. Zoisite kept his eyes down. He hadn't expected the conversation to turn so quickly. He had hoped to gather his thoughts. He knew without looking that Ami was waiting for his answer.

He expelled the breath from his lungs, feeling the strength drain completely from him. There was no point in keeping it from them. The last walls had been broken between them when Nephrite had stepped into their haven. Everything would have to be laid out or they would never be satisfied. Oh, how he wished he didn't have to be there to see her world shatter.

"You saw the stones before," he stated, evenly. "Right, Ami?"

The girl blushed as the girls looked to her. "Yes."

"A few days before I met Luna and Artemis, I found a box holding four colorful stones in a king's coffin," he continued, his voice wavering on a thread. "When the Silver Millennium Kingdom fell and Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to bind the souls of the Senshi to the future, she also spared a bit of her power to seal away the hearts of Earth's generals."

"Their hearts? Why would she do that?"

"Didn't they portray the kingdom? Even their prince?"

Artemis pressed his wife against his side with a somber disposition. "They were misled by the seductive darkness of the Negaverse. The generals were afraid of the Heavenly Kingdoms and the Negaverse played on those fears. They had never intended to kill their prince, merely expose the faults of his impending joining to the Moon Princess.

"When they found their prince slain by the Negaverse's champion, they were filled with horrible guilt. The prince had been like a brother to them, and they could not wash their hands of his death. They fell on their own swords at the foot of the queen, begging for forgiveness.

"In all her mercy, the queen promised the generals salvation, but they had to offer up their death in payment. As they breathed their last, she carved out their hearts and transformed their hearts into four beautiful stones. The stones were like strong boxes for their memories so that when they would be reborn they would be reminded of their past guilt and to be wary of falling back into previous seduction.

Rei laughed darkly, "I would have to say that safety feature failed. They're right back with the Negaverse."

"And what did you say about a champion of the Negaverse?" Mina interrupted. "Are you talking about the leader of the Negaverse?"

Artemis shook his head. "No, the leader is the not the champion. The darkness of the Negaverse is not a face so easily placed. Even Luna and I do not know the true identity of the Negaverse."

His words sent a chill up the girls' spines.

"The champion is the Negaverse's most dedicated worshipper and a channel of the Negaverse's supreme power. He was the one who lead the way into the bowels of the Millennium Kingdom. He was the one who murdered the princess and the prince while the Senshi were occupied by the generals and their regimes."

"This is insane," Mina whispered. "All of this seems to get worse each day."

Artemis settled his gaze on Zoisite's dejected profile. "The reason the generals are still without their memories is because their memories have not been returned."

"Will Nephrite remember what happened in the past and come join us?" Ami asked.

Zoisite withdrew his hand from his pale face. "No, all four stones must be placed in their rightful place before their memories will return. I've only placed two of the four. Malachite and the fourth general are still without their hearts."

Lita groaned loudly, "So they're still going to kill us. Beautiful."

"But at least we have a card up our sleeve," Ami said with an authoritative air. "We know a flaw the Negaverse is probably not aware of yet."

"True," Serena agreed. "So how do we use that?"

"It doesn't matter," Luna replied. "Our priority is to change to a new safe house before the NVerse sends in another general, or possibly an entire regime."

Rei's eyebrows rose, "A new safe house? How many do you have?"

Artemis gave a tilted grin. "Enough."

"We should go to the one in Skillman," Luna said as she picked up her sleepy daughter. She pressed the small child brow against her shoulder and gentle pushed away her silvery locks. She clutched her daughter tighter as she thought of dark men bursting through their doors at any moment. "It is unlikely they will come in the next hour. They will regroup, think of a good strategy. The one thing the Negaverse has always been good at is manipulating their victims."

Mina scowled as she propped up her feet on the table. "Are you saying the NVerse won't take the direct approach?"

"I don't get it." Lita sharply interjected. "They have the upper hand. Why won't they charge in again?"

Artemis offered his best idea. "You must remember the NVerse's objective. They want to get the Silver Crystal from Ami."

"But I don't have it," Ami interrupted loudly, holding out her empty hands. She saw their eyes and she hesitated to finish what she had intended to say. She looked to Serena's confused face. Ami's heart clinched when she thought of the blonde girl strapped to a bed and electrical pulses ripping through her nerves. Ami swallowed. For now, she would keep it from them. At least, she would hold her tongue until it became necessary. "I mean how could they expect to take the stone from me when I don't even know where it is."

"The stone is concealed in the depths of your heart," Artemis replied with a warm smile. "Your heart is the most guarded chest and in it the crystal waits to be awakened. I guess they want to awake your past memories to unlock the seal on it and rip it from your chest."

Lita rubbed her face wearily. "It couldn't be a stupid locket or a pendant. No, it had to be in her heart where only she could reach. This is rich."

Artemis gave Lita an exasperated look.

The brunette blushed shamefully, "Sorry. It's just so much to take in, Artemis. All of this has. I'm going into overload."

Luna pressed a hand on her husband shoulder as he went to speak, silencing his retort. The woman smiled gently. "We understand. Forgive us for laying so much on your shoulders. We have always such remorse in having such young lives bearing such a great burden."

"We should tell them everything, Luna," Zoisite abruptly stated. Ami was surprised to see the man's eyes screwed tight and his jaw clenched.

"Zoisite, we've already discussed this."

"What do you mean everything?" Mina grumbled coldly. Her eyes shifted darkly between the cat couple, her face betraying the hurt that clouded her vision. "What haven't you told us?"

Zoisite's eyes snapped open as he glared towards the advisors. "Time's running out. Sooner or later they will be used against them."

"What are you keeping from us?" Rei snapped. She was sick of all these secrets and being tangled up in shadows. "Luna? Artemis?"

Artemis glared pointedly back at Zoisite. "They won't be able to think objectively if we tell them."

"Tell us what?" Serena whispered fearfully.

Luna hung her head. They were shocked to see tears swelling in the woman's scarlet eyes. The cat-woman refused to look at them.

Ami didn't need to hear the words. She knew what hung unsaid by their host. She believed she always knew deep down in her heart. She had foolishly overlooked the anxiety, saying there was no proof, but there was no longer room for her to run from the words.

"The NVerse has them," she whispered, her words were the knife that cut through the tension. She felt the air recoil and the hearts of everyone clinch with hers. Ami barely noticed the tears slipping down her cheeks as Luna's guilty eyes lift towards her. "The NVerse has Amara and the others. Don't they?"

The woman said nothing. She gave a marginal bob of her head as her answer. Ami covered her sobs with a shaky hand as the girls all burst out at once.

"What?"

"How long?"

"Since the coffee house?"

"Why haven't you told us?"

"They could be hurting them."

"Please, understand our position, ladies." Artemis lifted his hands up in a desperate plea. "We didn't want to keep it from you. We didn't know until several weeks after you had arrived here. When we found out, I began trying to find their location inside the NVerse base. That's the major reason I've been mapping out the base's network."

"We got pretty close last time," Zoisite admitted, looking straight towards the crying intern across the table from him. His jade eyes silently pleaded with her to forgive him for his silence. "We must have or we wouldn't have run into so many guards."

"We don't believe they are being tortured like Ami was," Luna quickly interjected. "They have no reason to hurt them. They tortured Ami in hopes of retrieving the Silver Crystal from her. They are only keeping the women because they probably hope to exchange them for Ami."

Serena glanced between the advisors, "Then why didn't Nephrite try to offer them for Ami today?"

Luna shrugged, "Can't be certain, but I figure the NVerse weren't prepared to have such a challenge against us. They probably thought it would be easy to snatch up Ami without much of a fight so why try and exchange her. They might have intended to bring Ami to the base and then try to hurt the women in front of her to coax out the Silver Crystal."

"My god," Rei gasped.

Serena pushed out of her chair and wrapped her arms around the blue-haired nurse. She gently petted the woman's crown. "They've already put her through enough."

Ami's heart sank into the deepest pit when she thought of the situation being reversed. The tears came back full force. She could never endure Serena going through such heartache. Serena clutched her tighter, whispering warm words that wrapped all around Ami.

The young nurse was grateful for every brush of hope she uttered though she knew it was all very bleak. She was chest champion. She knew how to expect scenarios before they happened. Even with all the outcomes, she knew with certainty what direction their fate was turning towards. Her heart was quickly becoming stone as she tried to rip her emotions away from her thoughts.

"We need to leave," Artemis interrupted. "We don't have time to dawdle."

No one moved. They were all to dishearten by the idea of their dear friends and allies being locked away for their sake. Luna studied their slumped shoulders with increasing fear. "Ladies, I know you are upset with us for keeping this from you. I wish with all my heart we had told you from the beginning, but we were worried you would leave your training to rescue your friends. As you can see, even your training has given you little edge against the NVerse. Think of what would have happened if you had gone in without any at all. I promise you that you would all be dead and Ami would be in their hands."

Ami swallowed painfully. She watched with growing heartache as Zoisite turned away, shame written all over his face. Artemis rose to his feet and circled around the table. Ami was shocked when he stopped by her side and dropped to one knee. Serena was also surprised and unconsciously let her arms go slack around Ami's shoulders. Artemis bowed his head to the young nurse, his hair slipped down into white streams.

Luna stared at her husband's knelt form in confusion.

"Ami, I feel we owe a deep apology," he said heavily. "We have kept many secrets and have lord over you instead of being the advisors we were positioned to be. This is painfully obvious in your reproach about the secrets we have held. We humbly request your forgiveness."

Luna looked to the floor, feeling the guilt that shrouded over her husband. She knew he was right. They had taken ownership as protectors when their purpose had been to find the rightful guardians of the lost kingdom. She watched bashfully as her husband slapped a fist against his chest in a humble symbol of allegiance.

"But please do not let our words fall away, dearest princess. Time has finally divorced us and we must make a decision. We advised that we move to another safe house and regroup, but we will respect whatever you decide." He concluded.

Luna hurried to his side and placed Diana on her feet. With her daughter, she also knelt and bowed to the nurse. Though she wished to say something as masterful as her husband, she yielded to his words. There was no need to repeat him. Diana smiled brilliantly as she mirrored her parents' position.

Ami was silent as she watched the chest pieces move rapidly over an invisible board. She saw the roads in front of her, but most of them ended in her friends being captured or killed. More so, she saw gallons of blood poured over her hands. The girls and her had been able to skirt around killing any criminal in the last years, but this fight was definitely going to end with someone's death. Hopefully, it would be the unknown leader of the NVerse Corporation. Her mind began to quickly shift the pieces. She played through the strategies, found the weaknesses. That's what she was known for doing. She was the strategist. She would always find an escape or a victory. Numbly, she pushed the last piece into place and studied the outcome of her decision.

_'Checkmate.'_ There was little time, but if she was careful everyone would make it out alive and life could return to normal. She would have to wait to explain her plan to them. Now wasn't the time for this. The young woman refocused on the family bowed in front of her. Gently removing herself from her friend's arms, she took a stand and towered over the advisors. "We will go to the safe house."

The girls rapidly got to their feet, eyes all on their friend. Ami carefully studied them each, feeling a new level of loyalty binding between her and her roommates. Though they had never been bound by the Courts of the Silver Millennium Kingdom, Ami could see in their eyes their hunger to obey it. They were willing to bind themselves to her and protect her from the NVerse, but not out of royal allegiance. They did it out of love and long endured friendship. They would never leave her. She just prayed they would not jump into the NVerse's path to save her.

Luna rolled her body upwards and stood. Her family soon followed. She anxiously looked around the room at the determined faces. "Grab your bare essentials. No more than a small backpack of clothes should be enough. The safe house is fully stocked. Zoisite and Artemis will be watch until someone's packed and ready to swap out. I'll worry about getting our important documents and locking up the lab."

Short glances passed between the groups before everyone darted out of the room. As Ami passed through the door, she stole a glance at Zoisite and saw him moving towards the window. His back was upright and stiff as he took careful watch over the backyard. Right before she ducked out of the dining room, she saw his hand dip into the back of his jeans and withdraw the same handgun she had seen back at his apartment.

Entering the hall, she raced to the bedroom. She immediately dove for her journal of notes beneath her mattress. She forced herself to push the book into a duffel, forcing back the temptation to rifle through its pages. Looking up, she saw the girls had unsurprisingly gone for their limited pile of clothes. It was fortunate that they had left their bags packed since they had left their two-story home back in the city. It would have been murder to separate the girls from any of their outfits. They hastily scrounged up their dirty clothes and shoved them into their bags.

Ami threw the strap over her shoulder and ran for the door. Bursting into the hall, however, she froze. Without a word, she made a quick u-turn and headed into Zoisite's room. She ran to the secret door. Finding the entry open, she hastened down the spiral stairwell. Reaching the bottom, she stepped into the lab and spotted Luna rolling up several large rolls of paper. The woman instantly stopped, however, when she saw the girl step into view. "Ami? What is it?"

"It's nothing," Ami quickly evaded, striding across the room. Her blue eyes scanned the concrete floor. "I just forgot something in here."

The silver metal cover soon caught her eye and she walked over to its discarded form. Ami nervously glanced through the corner of her eye and saw Luna completely ignoring her. Biting down on her lower lip, she casually reached down. Her fingertips brushed against the cold surface and a chill went up her spine. Unconsciously, she flipped it over in her hand, drawn to the end of the fairytale.

The pages flapped lifelessly to the center binding. There was a wondrous, hand drawn picture of a faceless girl with long, flowing hair. Her hands were stretched towards the stars, cradling a brilliant light in her palms. The light appeared to be endless, stretching out to the four corners of the heavens. Beyond the light were disfigured silhouettes, numbering in the hundreds.

"Ami, we have to hurry."

The nurse instinctively snapped the book close. She was breathing hard and there was a cold sweat beading across her brow. She swallowed as she looked to the side and saw Luna watching her from the doorway. "What is it that you have right there?"

Ami gave a shaky smile, "Later. Right now, we need to hurry."

She pressed an insistent hand on the woman's back. Luna's scarlet eyes narrowed momentarily, but allowed the young girl to push her towards the stair. Ami was right. They needed to hurry. Luna headed for the stairs, inwardly promising to ask about the book later. It was only fair that her princess have secrets of her own after being left ignorant of her advisors' activities, but Luna was still concerned.

Together they spilled out into the upstairs hall. Zoisite met them in the doorway. His jade eyes connected with Ami's and the young nurse lost the air in her lungs. She was stun with how easily she was made speechless by his presence. Frantically, she shook her head. Zoisite swallowed with some difficulty as she passed him. His mind was full of past imagery, mainly her collapsing in the forest. It was always the same; her blood tainting the perfect white canvas of a snow covered world.

He inhaled deeply when Luna stepped forward and gave him a pointed look. Her scarlet eyes were hard. "Don't let your thoughts wander. You need to be on your toes. The NVerse will be on theirs."

He nodded. Luna followed after the blue-haired girl, clutching her leather case of charts and maps. Zoisite squeezed his eyes shut, willing back the painful image of her blood covering the snow. He needed to stay focused. He needed to be here for her. With a frazzled countenance he turned into his bedroom to gather his things.

Ami looked around the living room and saw each woman stationed at a window. The blinds were barely cracked open, but they could see plenty outside. Ami dumped her duffle next to the others and went to Lita's side. "Anyone out there?"

The brunette fists tightened. "Nothing. There's not even a neighbor out."

Ami saw Rei pressing her back against the wall. Slim rays stretched over her face like bars in a prison cell. "Rei? What are you feeling?"

The priestess didn't take her eyes away from the window. Her chest heaved as she felt the air with her gift. She shook back her dark locks. "There's a lot of tension, but I think that's us. There's so much. It's a bit suffocating."

Ami swiveled towards her window. She barely had a view of it because it was parker around the corner, but she could see the silver bumper of their jeep. It was only fifty yards away, but now it looked more like a thousand.

Luna appeared in the room, tugging Diana up next to her side. She held two backpacks in her hand. The woman glanced around at the occupants before bringing her daughter over to the couch. She coaxed the small child to stay seated and went into the dining room. Diana shifted uneasily for several minutes, clutching her purple bunny backpack to her chest.

Ami returned her view to outside, checking the houses. She was strangely unease with how motionless the houses were that afternoon. Not even a curtain stirred. She told herself it was strictly paranoia. Maybe the neighbors had heard the gunshots earlier and were fearful of coming out.

"I don't think their out there," Mina whispered from across the room. Her body was stiff as she pressed against Serena. Their clutched hands told the nurse they were both terrified.

"I haven't seen anything," Rei admitted.

"Doesn't matter," Lita huffed. "They know were on our guard after what happened. They won't make themselves visible. That general got by without our knowing. Ami would have been stolen if those charms hadn't raised the alarm."

The dinning room cracked opened and the cat couple walked inside. Artemis had a hiking bag strapped to his back. Luna went straight to her daughter and picked her up into her arms. Seconds later, Zoisite came out of the hall, carrying his own duffle. The girls straightened.

"We won't all fit in your jeep," Artemis said, pulling out some keys. "We need to take our Mercury. We'll split up and convene at the safe house."

Luna nodded in agreement, "I'll go in the jeep with Ami, and you should take the Mercury, Artemis."

"Sure."

"I'll go in the Mercury," Lita offered.

Rei stepped forward, "Me, too."

Zoisite came up besides Ami. There was need to say what vehicle he chose. Ami blushed and looked anywhere, but the man's face. Luna went to her husband and hand over her daughter. "Take Diana. You're less of a target."

He nodded, eyes planted on his wife's stern face. He hated separating from her, but it could not be helped. Zoisite didn't know of the way to this particular safe house and Diana was much safer with him since Ami would be with Luna. He silently pleaded with his wife to not be reckless. Luna smiled softly before turning to the waiting group. She didn't like how heavy one car would be, but she didn't dare take away another protector from Ami. If I fight broke out, while they were separated from the other vehicle, it was likely Ami would be taken from them without little effort. Her family was endangered with so few fighters in the Mercury, but the Princess came first. Besides, the NVerse wanted Ami, not her child or husband. She'd have to pray the NVerse didn't make a strategically move and aim for her family to use against their princess.

_'Everything is a game of chance here.'_

The woman strode towards the front door, grabbing her bag along the way. The group stonily followed. Their stomach hastily became chunks of rocks, sinking to their toes. They crowded into the hallway. Zoisite wrapped his arm around Ami's shoulder and gave the girl a once over. She was trembling and taking deep breaths as she watched the front door. He tugged her a little tighter to his side. Luna's long fingers wrapped around the silver handle of the front door, and simultaneously the hall took in a deep breathe.

The door was thrown open and the sunlight flooded their eyes. Ami inhaled sharply as she momentarily disoriented. She blinked rapidly as she felt Zoisite force her outside. The cold air hit her seconds before she regained her vision. She willed her legs to move as she stumbled towards the jeep's side door. She slammed into its side. Feet pounded and she heard doors snap open. Her hands slapped against its glinting surface, searching for the handle. With all her might, she yanked the door open. She frantically lurched into the passenger seat with Zoisite pressing against her back the whole way. The jeep swayed with the sudden weight and the engine eagerly rolled into life. Doors slammed close and she heard Serena proclaim, "We're in!"

The engine roared and tires squealed. Ami swallowed anxiously as she sought for a seatbelt. She could only imagine what kind of a driver Luna was behind the wheel. Ami nearly cried out in joy when her hand encircled the clothe belt. A large hand covered hers and yanked the belt around her body. She turned to see her belt clicked into place. Her eyes lifted and met squarely with his jade ones. The car jerked left and Ami crashed into his chest.

"Hang on!" Luna cried. "I'm going to make a run for it!"

"Do we have someone behind us?" Zoisite yelled.

"No!" Mina replied. She clutched to the backseat as she watched their rearview. Her stomach twisted when she saw Artemis' Mercury swerve onto a different road. She didn't like separating like this. Everything was too wild. Luna swung around another corner and Mina jostled in her seat, hanging on with all her arm muscles. She kept knocking into Zoisite's arm no matter how hard she gripped the top of the seat. "I don't see anyone."

The car jerked again and Zoisite wrapped his arm around Ami before she hit her head against the side window. Luna's knuckles turned white as she clutched the steering wheel. She tossed back a stray of purple hair from her face.

"Doesn't matter," she stated loudly. "They were probably hiding, waiting for us to make a move. In a few minutes, I'm a sure a couple of cars will file in behind us. I'm going to try to lose them before they can do that. Otherwise, you girls are going to experience some intense driving."

Zoisite clutched the edge of his seat. "I hope you girls aren't prone to getting car sick."

Ami smiled unevenly, "You've never experienced Serena's driving."

"Hey!"

"We got a tail!" Mina cried, nearly losing her grip. Ami's heart skipped. "It's a black Chevy truck. I count two in the vehicle."

Luna glanced at her mirror. "I hope they didn't see Artemis split off. Alright, ladies. Who's got this one?"

"Dibbs!" Mina hollered. She tossed back her long, gold hair and glared at the truck. She studied the situation. Almost immediately, she focused on the tires. She grinned evilly and let her gift spring out towards the vehicle. It was a good thing that she alone could see the golden strings spreading out from her body. It would make her attacks a lot more complicated. It was hard enough as it was to focus on a small space.

The strings raced through the air and spun around the rubber surface. She began to giggled, "Now which way should we go? How about left?"

The gold strings intertwined and formed hefty cords. Together the cords pulled the tires hard left. The sudden turn was too much for the truck's momentum. The nose pitched forward and the cab spun head over tires. The truck slammed onto its roof and the windows shattered under the weight. Mina watched with some satisfaction as they quickly gained some distance from their followers. Her grin slipped, however, when a thought occurred to her. "Technically, that would have been their right."

She straightened when a car she hadn't seen before veered around the fallen truck and accelerated towards their jeep. It was a brown Sedan, hardly as intimidating as the huge Chevy. Her blue eyes narrowed. "We got another one. Brown Sedan. Counting three, maybe four occupants. A white head leaned out the side window.

"GUN!" Mina screamed, diving. Zoisite forced Ami's head down and covered her with his body. The back windshield shattered and the horrible pelt of bullets roared in their ears.

Ami gritted her teeth and flared her gift. "I got this one!"

She exhaled deeply and white puffs slipped past her lips. Her gift raced from her body. It wrapped around the metal rim of the broken window and slowly expanded. Icy crystal stretched to the center like feathers. The orange sunset glittered through its thin wall, flashing twinkling stars throughout the backseat. Zoisite's grip faltered when a new round of bullets broke through her newly made window. The splittered ice spun through the air like a dozen daggers. When she saw one of the dagger barely missed Mina's head, Ami frantically evaporated the ice into harmless puffs of cold. Ami shoved back Zoisite's arm and spun in her seat to face the back window.

"AMI!" He cried, reaching for her shoulder. He knew she had to have gone temporarily insane to be facing bullets. Before his hand got a firm grip, he heard another round shot at their jeep. "Get down!"

She ignored him. She shoved all her energy into a wild woosh of power. She could feel her body empty of strength as she watched her gift crash into the curtain of bullets. When the wave of energy connected with the bullets, she was surprised, more than anyone else, as her power manifested into chunks of ice. The ice crystals wrapped over the chunks of shrapnel and forced their momentum to an astounding halt. The pelts dropped like lead balloons onto the asphalt and then ceremoniously run over by the tires of the dark Sedan.

Ami grinned like a maniac at her surprising success. Unfortunately, her joy was short lived as her muscles became jelly. She was already sinking backwards, the weight of her body was suddenly overpowering. How had her muscles ever supported such immense weight?

"Ami!"

Her hand grabbed his arm, righting her. The temporary weakness passed and her muscles tightened. She swallowed. "I'm okay."

Cowering on the floor between the driver's and the back seats, Mina studied her friend's pale complexion. Her worried eyes connected with her blonde roommate. A silent concern was shared as they listened to Ami's heavy breathing. Zoisite pressed her against his side. "You sure?"

She nodded, sucking in a deep breath of cold air. "That was just really new. I've never created that many chunks of ice nor encased them around speeding bullets. It kinda of shocked me."

"Sorry to break this up, but they're reloading!" Luna instructed.

"My turn!" Serena squealed, crawling on all fours to the back seat. Mina groaned in protest as the girl's red sneakers hit her in the jaw. "Sorry!"

Serena pulled her elbows over the backseat and cupped her palms together. In seconds, a golden star began to shine in her hands. Ami immediately looked to the girl's brow. Fear engulfed her as she saw a glimmer of light begin to form on the unblemished plane of pale skin. Without thinking, she pushed pass Zoisite's constricting arms and lunge for the girl's elbow.

"No! Serena!"

She grabbed the edge of the woman's coat and yanked hard. The blonde screeched in surprise as she toppled backwards. The light immediately diminished. Another round of bullets blared, and the front windshield loudly shattered. Glass flew everywhere and Luna threw up her arm. She obscenely cursed. The tires squealed as she unconsciously turned the steering wheel. The weight of jeep shifted dangerously. Serena was tossed into Mina's lap and Zoisite toppled sideways. Ami cried out as she slammed into Zoisite's chest.

"I need someone to handle them!" Luna shouted over the roar of wind and squeal of tires. She slammed her free hand back over the steering wheel and righted the vehicle.

Mina shoved Serena off her lap and grabbed her seat. "I'm on it!"

Serena dropped onto her side, complaining loudly. Ami pressed her hands against Zoisite's chest, ignoring the position of their bodies, and pushed herself off. Zoisite groaned lightly under her weight. Broken glass was tossed into the air and light splashed across the vinyl interior. Ami was distracted by the rainbow sparkles on the razor edge of shards. They reminded her of the crystal throne room from her dreams.

* * *

_**-dream-**_

_**Her heels slipped on the crystal floor. She toppled forward, her grip on Serena faltered, but she quickly regained her footing and hurried into the throne room. Serena's pained sob made her slide to a stop. She blinked past the sweat and blood dribbling off her brow to study the black form lying on the floor. Her vision blurred. She was too exhausted from the fighting to see straight. Serena ripped from her hands and bolted for the undistinguishable lump.**_

_**"My love!" **_

_**Ami stiffened when she recognized the black uniform and the red pool underneath. She swallowed. The Prince of Earth had been murdered. **_

_**An exploding crash in the hallway she had just exited, reminded the Princess of Mercury why she had come into the throne room. She whirled, and heaved the double doors close. Seconds before the doors boomed into their closed position, she caught a glimpsed of the fallen forms of her sisterhood. Without thinking, she pulled down the beam that would lock the doors in place. She squeezed her eyes close as she tried not to think of them. She couldn't think of their deaths. She was the last guardian to the princess. She was the last shield of protection. **_

_**She turned around and saw her beloved princess, her best friend, sobbing over her dead love. Ami heaved a heavy sigh. Her heart ached terribly for her lost. She had also been close to the prince. She and the other Senshi had become very close to him and his generals. To see him dead was the same as seeing her sisterhood die in front of her eyes. She squeezed back the bloody memories. **_

_**"Princess, we have to keep moving. The forces are nearly upon us." Her voice was tired. The laughing woman she had been hours before was missing from her soul. She was an empty shell of a person, trying to think of what else to do then rip her friend from her dead love. **_

_**"It's not fair!" Serena cried, clutching to his black jacket. "Who are these people? Why did they do this?"**_

_**'More so, how did they do this?' Ami wondered, staring at the floor. 'We were celebrating the union of kingdoms and then Amara was lying dead on the table, blood pouring out of her mouth. How did they know when to attack? How did they maneuver around our defenses? Our security posts? They had to have had inside sources.'**_

_**There was a sudden blast overhead, and in the reflection of the floor, she saw the crystal ceiling burst into a million pieces. She snapped her face upwards. The shards slowly spun downwards, rainbows bouncing off the broken edges. It was raining rainbows stars. **_

* * *

Returning back to inside of the jeep, Ami was startled to find Zoisite staring down into her face. His brow was pursed and his eyes were frightened. Some of the fear receded, however, when she adjusted her position. She wasn't surprised to see his arms were around her again. How was it possible to keep getting into this compromising position?

"You scared me," his voice was nearly drowned out by the outside noise. Ami went to ask him why, but the squeal of tires broke her attention. She hastily found her surroundings and pulled herself to see out the back of the vehicle. Ami gasped when she saw the Sedan was flipping backwards through the air. There was a small glimpse of white disappearing back into the passenger window before the Sedan plummeted into the ditch, nose first. Mina cheered from her seat, the Venus symbol faded away.

"I'm two for two!" She pumped her fist into the air, right into the ceiling. She yipped in pain and cradled her bruised fist. Luckily, she hadn't used the arm with the broken wrist. Serena laughed at her friend's mumbled whimpers. Luna grinned in her rearview mirror before concentrating back on the road.

"I think we got enough distance between us and any other followers," Luna stated sternly. "But I need you to keep your eyes peels just in case I'm wrong, and Ami, can you do something about the windows?"

The girl nodded, "Sure."

The beads of water in the cold air raced forward into the broken frames. Slowly, they joined together and created a thin sheet of transparent ice. With carefully concentration, Ami was able to refract the ice crystal to make sure the windows didn't warp the outside imagery. It was tough, but it wasn't the first time she had built a fake glass out of ice.

Luna exhaled deeply and glanced at the heater. She switched off the vents, fearful of melting her princess's fine work. "Thank you, Ami. Now if you're cold, I have some blankets tucked away in the back for emergencies."

* * *

The rest of the ride was filled with tense silence. No one was ready to accept that they had escaped the NVerse. They each kept their attention to the roads, waiting for a car to make a move in their direction. Every vehicle that passed them made their hearts stop. Only when they were far passed them did anyone dare to breathe again. Cars that pulled up at intersections looked hungry predators and opposing traffic reminded them of the general charging at them in the forest. They remained anxious throughout the hour long ride.

Only Ami was able to think beyond the car ride and the vehicles driving around them. She was overwhelmed with her recent dream. She kept seeing her fallen friends out in the hall and Serena at the dead prince's side, calling out to him. The grief was too much to bear, regardless, that it was all from a past life. She felt the measureless weight bearing down on her chest making it difficult to breath.

She tried hard to stay calm. She didn't want to alert anyone that she was upset. They would ask questions she did not want to answer. She tried to think of the NVerse's next move and forget about the dream, but she saw Serena sobbing again.

She saw the limp form of the prince's feet, soaking in blood. Her visions traveled up his legs, pass the golden emblem on his shoulder, but when she got close to his face, Serena lurched forward and blocked her view of the prince. She was glad to be spared the view of Zoisite's face. She didn't want to see the life gone from his eyes. She didn't know what she would feel to see him dead.

More so, she did not want to see him held by Serena. She had not thought of what the world meant if Serena was in fact the true Moon Princess. She had not realized her heart would ache to know Zoisite's was not hers. She had foolishly believed her growing attachment for Zoisite was merely platonic friendship. Maybe she was jealous that another man was going to step away from her for another woman. Maybe that's why it hurt so much.

She hadn't meant to feel that way for him. She had tried to separate herself from this propose arrangement, but she was stupid girl. Regardless of her efforts, she had grown hopeful for something he offered. Whether it was friendship, a special bond, or love, she wasn't sure. All she known is that hurt to part with him, nearly as bad as the time with Greg.

"Ami?" Zoisite whispered.

She blinked numbly and found his hansom, jade eyes. For a moment, she wondered if she had come to love him. She had always thought she had loved Greg, and when he left her, she had believed was love was a fairytale. Love did not last as so many poets insinuated. It was fickle and fleeting like the seasons. Perhaps, love was a stumbling block instead of a foundation.

"Yes," she breathed, still choked up from her dream.

His eyes searched her. He saw something dark in her eyes as if a cloud and suddenly covered the spark of life in her. It was after she had gone still in his arms that he had noticed. She had suddenly gone limp in his arms and her eyes had gone gray. They had not been glazed, but became shiny like doll eyes. Lifeless. Unseeing. As quickly as the moment had come upon her, it disappeared and her eyes blinked back to blue. It had made him feel the worst of fears in his heart when she had been unresponsive to his shouts.

"What happened a while ago?" he asked softly. He didn't want to cause such a commotion in the car. Ami was shaking as it was. "You sort of…blanked out…"

She steeled herself as she sought for a suitable response. "I had a waking dream again."

Zoisite was taken aback. "Again? What do you mean a waking dream?"

"A waking dream. I suddenly am overcome by a dream. It's like something sparks an old memory of my past life and the memory returns in the form of a dream. It only last a few minutes, but it's enough to undo me for several minutes."

She clutched her knees. "The last time I saw my death. Someone stabbed me. I didn't get to see the killer, but I saw, felt, and tasted my blood. It was…so real."

When she looked down, her hand was pressed against the spot where the dagger had pierced her. She swallowed down the bile rising in the back of her throat. She dare relive the dream.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look a little pale?"

"I'm fine," Ami replied, running a hand down her face. Her muscles were aching and she felt lightheaded. Exhaustion had finally caught up with her. "I just need to get some sleep. I still didn't get my nap."

Zoisite smiled guiltily. "Sorry. Maybe if I let you sleep earlier this might not have happened."

"Nah," Ami yawned. "It would have still happened. Maybe a little differently, but we still would have dealt with a general pounding at our door."

She punched his shoulder feebly, "Just don't let it happen again!"

"Sure," he mumbled, watching her head lean against his shoulder. The strings of his heart tugged as she sighed lightly. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was already evening out. In minutes, she was asleep and none the wiser about falling asleep on his shoulder. His lips unknowingly twisted upwards, and inhaled deeply. Even though there was scent of dried blood still on her clothes, he was able to smell the intoxicating scent of water lilies. He had definitely fallen hard.

He gently tucked her into his side and rested his chin on her crown. His eyes soon went dark as he returned to scanning the neighboring vehicles. He wouldn't let her slip away from him. Not again.

He didn't notice his blue-haired goddess' face twist into an angry scowl.

* * *

_**-dream-**_

_**She was surrounded by rainbow crystal. The light sound of bells was ringing in her ears. It reminded her of the Silver Throne room, but there was no throne and no banners streaming down. There was only warm rainbows and golden light pouring down on her. She sighed deeply, reveling in the warmth. **_

_**It was odd to feel so at peace. Usually it was the cold that soothed her heart, not warmth. Maybe she had been out in the cold too long. Maybe it was time to thaw. **_

_**Then, the tinkle of bells transformed into young laughter. **_

_**Heart in her throat, she spun around. She found only crystal walls. She relaxed immediately. The air was so tranquil and welcoming. She was small in comparison to the immense size of the room, but it felt like her personal space, her own special escape. She forgot about the fleeting laughter and began to walk forward. Beneath her feet, sand shifted and crept through her toes. She breathed deeply the scent of the ocean. There was no waves roaring in her ears, but it didn't matter. She could feel the surfing rolling up onto the shores, swishing around her feet. She was the wave, rolling with the currents. She was the spray crashing against the rocks. She flew, she rolled, she swayed. **_

_**She sank into the depths letting the water cradle her. She did not fight to reach the surface. She wanted to sink deeper, to spread out in all directions until she filled all the gaps. She wanted to be full. She wanted to escape the hollowness of drained lakes and empty hearts. **_

_**Another sputter of soft laughter. She spun again, and found walls once more. She was a little surprise to find the ocean gone, but she didn't fight it disappearance. Instead, she focused on the tall form standing across from her. **_

_**"I know you…" she whispered, stepping closer."You're…Amara?"**_

_**The blonde woman was scowling.**_

_**"What?" Ami asked, confused by her scowl. "Why are you upset?"**_

_**The tall woman said nothing. She simply stared back at Ami. There was fury in her body language and Ami began to fidget. She rarely saw such intensity in the other woman's eyes. "What is it? Are you mad at me?"**_

_**Nothing. **_

_**Ami clenched her fists. Something about the way the platinum blonde was staring at her was making her nervous. It was as if Amara was saying that she knew everything, right down to the anxiety struggling in the nurse's heart. **_

_**"I can't tell them," Ami stated somberly. "They can't know yet."**_

_**Amara didn't reply. She just kept staring, her eyes growing darker. **_

_**"If I tell them it's Serena, then the NVerse will find out. They'll go after her!"**_

_**Amara crossed her arms. Still silence. **_

_**Her stony disposition slowly built fury into the younger woman. Amara acting like the authority of the girls, demanding answer like a judge. She didn't act like a friend or ally much. Never once had she asked how she or the other girls were doing. She didn't make social calls or casual conversation. It was always 'get to the point' or 'shut up about that nonsense.' More so, she would complain about having to clean up their messes when it came to missions. Ami threw up her arms. "I won't let her go through what I went through. It's not fair! Out of everyone, she is the least deserving of it. I don't care if you are threatened by her authority."**_

_**Amara's eyes darkened. She was perfect statue of fury, smoldering over the shorter woman. Tears pricked Ami's eyes. She would never understand the woman's insistent need to tower over them. "It's not like I want the attention. I've never cared to be the center of everything. This isn't what I wanted."**_

_**Her whimpers trailed off as she saw Amara's eyes shift. Her dark eyes were looking beyond the girl's shoulders ay something that hardened her facial expression. Fear plagued the intern as she felt a cold wind blaring against her back. As she gradually began to turn, her body was racked with horrible tremors because of the cold. The wind shoved back her bangs as she faced what she had never expected. **_

_**She choked back a gasp. There lying on the crystal floor with a bloody sword stabbed in her chest was Serena. Sprawled on her back, her dull eyes were staring towards the ceiling and her mouth was wide open in a silent scream. Her hair was tangled and one of her pigtails had come undone. Her blonde locks were everywhere, covering her face, her chest, the pool of blood. One of her hands was clutching where the sword connected with flesh. Her fingers wrapped around the blade as if trying to pull out the obstruction. **_

_**Ami was at her side in seconds. She fell to her knees, not caring in the least that the blood was seeping into her clean clothes. She reached forward and pressed her hand against the woman's cheek. Her friend was as cold as ice. **_

_**"What is this?" Ami sobbed as she stared into her best friend's lifeless eyes. She grabbed the dead woman's shirt and began shaking her shoulders. "Serena! What happened?"**_

_**She looked down at her hands and suddenly noticed she was holding pure white silk. Her movements stilled as she felt the expensive threads in her fingers. She was in a wedding dress? Ami was breathing hard as her lungs desperately tried to inhale as much oxygen as possible. The girl shakily released the material. "What is this?"**_

_**Slowly, she looked up the length of the shiny blade. The hilt was a beacon to her eyes as she sought for answers. Unfortunately, there weren't any symbols or markings on the gold handle. It was a plain twist of polished metal, covered in blood. Ami shook her head as new sobs threatened to break the tense silence. **_

_**"This is a nightmare," she whispered to no one. "It…"**_

_**A hand grabbed her shoulder. Ami turned her teary face upwards. Her blue eyes went wide as she saw familiar jade glaring down at her. **_

_**"Zoisite," she breathed.**_

_**The world had grown dark behind him. Even with the black curtain, she was able to see the white wisps of his breaths curling out into the air. His green eyes were bright beneath his furious scowl. She could barely make out the edge of his polished, dark armor. Gold hair fluttered up into the darkness and his glove tightened on a golden hilt. **_

_**"You killed my beloved." He whispered in a tight voice. Ami inhaled sharply as her heart tore apart. Abruptly, her body jerked and hot pain ripped through her. Looking down, she saw the golden handle of his sword protruding from her abs. Her fingers dripped with blood as she clutched the wound. Her thumb ran over the smooth hilt, recognizing it from a memory. She went to plead with him, to remember their small time together. She wanted to remember the snowy forest and the almost kiss. Sadly, when she leaned her head back, she found an empty world. **_

* * *

Ami's eyes opened and the first thing she noticed was that the sun had fully set. She swallowed. Her tongue was cotton in her mouth. She was still a little disoriented from her dream. That one hadn't been a memory. Carefully, she sat up in her seat and saw that the car was parked in a driveway. The seats around her were empty.

"You're awake?"

Ami jumped. Looking to her right, she saw Zoisite smiling at her in amusement. The moonlight was casting a serene glow over his warm features.

"Are we at the safe house?" Ami slurred, combing down her wild mess of hair.

Zoisite nodded as he pressed his palm against her back to urge her out of the vehicle. Ami quickly woke up as she awkwardly began to crawl towards the door.

"I was about to wake you up," he replied. She feebly opened the door and stumbled out into the freezing night. She exhaled deeply, casting her white breathe against the stars. There were tall pines stretched to the heavens and not a house in the neighboring shadows. They looked to be on a small mountain. She clutched her coat tighter around her.

For once this winter, she wished the weather was not so cold. The frigid temperature made her think of the dream. She was breathing unsteadily as she recalled the images. The implications born in those images were more disturbing to her than her visions of her past. Thoughts of Serena and Zoisite being together stirred in her mind and she suddenly could not think pass the idea of them. Curse her superior imagination! She kept seeing Zoisite clutching Serena to his chest. She imagined them laughing and enjoying each others company. Ami's heart squeezed as she recalled the hateful words and her evasive nature the last few months. Serena probably deserved his kindness more than she did.

Ami became aware his body heat pressing against her back almost immediately.

"We need to get inside," he said softly by her ear. Ami squeezed her eyes again. Something lurched in her throat as she felt his breath waft over her cheek. She couldn't help thinking of Serena being in her position. Ami quickly stepped out of reach of the warm breath as he finished his statement. "The others are hauling the last of our packs into the house. I was keeping an eye out for the Mercury while you were sleeping."

She nodded, never looking back. The squeeze around her heart had not left. Tears were on the edge of her being. Like so many times when Greg had left, she refused herself the liberty of crying and replaced her unsettled heart with cold rock. _'I'm stronger than this.'_

As she made a beeline for the front door of her new home, Ami inspected the house. Red brick, gray shutters, and the lofty chimney were a little rural for her normal city life taste. She did, however, smile when she considered the getaway feel. She vaguely remembered her father bringing her to cabin for a family vacation. Course, it had been a log house in the Rockies. It did have major electricity in the cabin, but she doubted it would be so well endowed as this safe house. That is if this safe house was anything like the house just escaped. Maybe this one had a secret lab in its basement as well.

_'Yellow curtains?...' _ Ami observed as she reached the front door. _'Luna sure does have a thing for yellow.'_

She could hear voices inside. With a wry smile, she twisted the doorknob. Almost instantly, she was assaulted by the scent of stale age. It filled her nostrils, making her cough lightly as she walked further into a basic seating room. There was a rocking chair and a rosy loveseat next to a leather recliner. The floor was a heavenly rich red wood. Beyond the furniture, a bar top with several stools connected to a lavished kitchen of wooden cabinets and black appliances. Serena already was in the belly of it, gathering things for a late dinner. She smiled brightly upon Ami appearance. "You're awake."

Ami nodded dumbly as Luna, followed by Mina, stepped out of the nearby hall. The dark haired host hastily bustled over to the sleepy girl. Luna began to pull at her coat. "You really should head off to bed, dear. You didn't get any sleep last night and barely got a chance to get a full hour in the car."

Luna strode towards a closet with the nurse's dark coat in hand. Mina agreed. "Maybe she should wait for dinner before she runs off to that mattress."

"Are you hungry?" Luna asked with a worry scowl.

The kitchen didn't smell very inviting. She didn't doubt that it had to do with Serena's illogical presence in a kitchen. Regretfully, Ami shook her head. "I won't be able to keep my head up."

The older woman gave her an understand look, "Certainly."

"But what about the others?" Ami quickly interceded. "Are they here?"

"No, but that's not surprising," Luna replied with only a slight quiver in her tone. "Artemis took the longer route. He made a call from a pay phone and left a message on the answering machine. They had no tails and said he was taken the secondary route we have planned for this safe house. In about twenty or so minutes, they should be here."

Ami shifted uncertainly. Luna's smile grew wider at the girl's show of loyalty. "Don't worry. If something happens, we will wake you up."

Zoisite shut the front door, carrying the last pack. Ami glanced to him. "You promise, Luna?"

"Definitely." Luna pointed to the hall and pushed the girl in its direction. "Now, the second door on the right shall be you girls' room. Diana will also be in there with you. The first door is the bathroom and the master bedroom is at the end of the hall. Zoisite will be on the couch. I'll leave some supper in the frig for you if you wake hungry in the middle of the night. Though, I'm sure you'll sleep well through the night."

Ami gave a final look back towards Zoisite as he went into the kitchen and leaned over Serena's shoulder to see what she was making. Right before she disappeared into the hall, Ami caught a heart clenching glimpse of Serena laughing at something Zoisite had said to her. She couldn't help thinking the display was beyond cliché sickening, but she bit back the criticism. She knew it was merely bitterness festering in her. Hastily, she ducked into her bedroom.

Entering the dark room, she hesitated switching on the light. She felt like the world was rushing around her and her heart was racing to keep up with it. Trembling, she swallowed with difficulty. Ami scrambled for the switch and flooded the room with light. There were four bunk beds, all newly dressed, pressed into a corner. There bags were tucked against their sides. Without much thought, she went for her bag. She would have been plenty happy to fall asleep in her jeans, but it wasn't her night clothes she was searching for in her bag. No, she threw out those clothes to instead pull out the children's book. She ripped open the volume, skimming through the paragraphs. In minutes, her eyes stopped on a particular page. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she stared down at a man and woman kissing under a crescent moon.

_**"It was a great shock to the Queen to find her daughter's brow glowing with the Seal of the Kingdom. Her own daughter would be the Moon Princess and bear the weight of the heavens. Though she was saddened to think her daughter with suffer under such an extreme responsibility, the Queen was overjoyed to hear her daughter had found true love. True that the man was Prince of the Mortals in a kingdom separated from the heavens, the Queen was relieved to know there would be something her daughter could cherish within a world that was quickly growing dark."**_

Ami looked up at her ceiling. Tears streamed down her eyes. She never said a word, but if the stars could have looked down at the woman, they would have seen one of the most tortured souls burning in her eyes.

* * *

_**A/N: What will Ami do? Next chapter will tell! Drama. Drama. Drama. Now Review, Review, Review!!  
**_


	22. When All Other Lights Go Out

**_A/N: This has to be one of my favorite chapters to have written. It practically lept from my fingers. I've been waiting to write this chapter for ages! Hope you love it as much as I did!_**

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By Angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 22: When All Other Lights Go Out_

* * *

Sleep had been gratefully empty. She had been afraid when she curled up to sleep that she would never escape to its dark corner. Fortunately, her prayers were answers and she slipped away to a place that had no sound or shapes, just silence. It was her sanctuary. She had fled to the quiet place many of times after Greg left and now she had returned to it, again. To wake from it that morning, Ami was a little disappointed she hadn't slept longer.

She stared up at the mattress above her in the dimly lit room. Exhaustion was still heavy in her body, but her inner clock demanded she keep to her normal schedule. There were thin rays of light leaking through the closed blinds, meaning it was morning. Ami lifted her wrist and saw it was barely past sunrise. She should have slept longer. She hadn't slept for over thirty-nine hours yesterday and she had only been to retrieve nine hours last night. Course, that was two hours more than what she normally got a night.

Focusing through the thin darkness, she checked the other bunks. She saw the back of a gray t-shirt with the words "Fabulous" written across in pink. That was definitely Mina. Below her, the sleeping person was completely hidden under a thick blanket, but a few brown locks streamed out from under the lip and covered the pillow. Lita did always bury herself when she slept. Ami shifted quietly and got a better view of the next bunk. There was another lump and the peaceful face of Rei on the bottom mattress. Above her, Diana's little nose peeks out of her mountain of blankets.

_'They made it back. Good.'_

Carefully, Ami pulls back her blanket and puts her feet to the cold floor. She hisses as the cold travels up the length of her spine. She grabs a pair of socks from her bag and quickly pulls them on before getting out of bed. With barely making a sound, she exits the room into the darker hall. The door closed silently behind her.

After making a quick stop at the bathroom, Ami made her way to the kitchen. She started a large pot of coffee and sat down on the love seat. She momentarily had forgotten that Zoisite was supposed to be asleep in the same seat. Blinking blurry eyes, she spotted a marble chest set on the coffee table. With a small smile, Ami reached forward and began to play a pretend game. For a short while, there was only the relaxing sound of pieces clicking across the board and the coffee brew dripping.

It didn't take long before Ami had cornered one of the kings. Years of chest tournaments and online games had made shadow playing quite uninteresting. She usually could finish a round in less than three minutes. This one took under four. Ami gave a subtle sigh and push the king over. "Checkmate."

She intertwined her fingers and she replayed the moves through her head. _'This whole ordeal is a lot like chest. We keep making circles, trying to outplay the other.'_

Giving up on the board, she walked over to the nearest window and drew back the curtains. She stared out at the golden sunrise, streaming through the thick line of trees. _'It won't be long before the others find out about Serena. One training session is all it would take. Then things will unravel. _

_'Need to think this through. No matter whom the princess is the NVerse is set on retrieving the Silver Crystal. The priority is to somehow relinquish their goal of the crystal.'_

Ami sighed heavily as she pressed her face against the cold glass. _'You can't stop a thief from reaching towards the unguarded millions. So what then?'_

She pushed away from the window as an unsettling feeling sank in her stomach. Ami headed for the coffee, letting her thoughts wander through the possibilities. Dozen of ideas were discarded before she samples her first taste of coffee. She leaned against the counter. Eyes wandered to the clock wall. _'They'll be up shortly.'_

She narrowed her eyes. _'Okay, the best way to think through this is to take out the emotional factors. They distract us from the equation.'_

Looking at the situation from a mathematical approach always got her through tough problems. She got through Greg by drowning herself in studying and extra hours in the science lab. When she got in a dangerous corner during missions, she always had to replace her fears with whirring calculations. Taking emotions out of the equation helped focus her mind.

Ami suddenly recalled the beginning sequence from the movie _Speed_. There had been a hostage situation. The FBI had gone in to save some people out of a locked elevator which had its cables severed. After the people were saved, an agent was taken hostage by the saboteur. The other agent believed there was a solution most people overlooked. _Take the hostage out of the equation. Shoot the hostage._

The front door opened. "Ami?"

"Yea," Ami asked as she swiveled around. She was shaken, but not from being surprised by Zoisite's appearance. She calmly met his eyes as she tried to erase the previous thought from her mind.

Zoisite eyed her with curiosity. "What are you doing up?"

She shrugged, "I woke up. I'm actually on time for my usual wake up call. What were you doing out?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was out checking the area. I wanted to make sure of a few things and scout out the neighbors."

"We have neighbors?"

"They're a mile out, but still restively close. I wanted to see if anyone was home. You should still be sleeping," he gruffly stated, shuffling towards the hot coffee. "I doubt you got enough sleep."

She silently watched him through the corner of her eye as he retrieved a mug from the cabinet. "Zoisite, you would probably have an idea about this? What are we going to do now about the NVerse?"

His eyes shifted, "About what? We're safe now."

"Until the next time they find us," Ami insisted firmly. "Surely, Artemis and Luna's plan isn't to keep rotating homes. What are they planning?"

Zoisite groaned inwardly. Maybe he should have ran an extra mile this morning instead of coming back to make sure everyone was alright. Stupid protective nature.

"I'm not sure," he replied honestly. "I have a general idea."

Ami tapped her foot on the floor. "Well? What do you think is their plan?"

He looked away with a shake of the head. "There's no point in discussing it, Ames. We can't do anything without them."

She conceded, "True. But at least, tell me one thing. Does Luna intend to kill the leader of the NVerse and its followers?"

Zoisite wandered to the window Ami had previously occupied. His brow pinched and he jutted out his chin. His profile was cast into a dark silhouette as the sunlight hit his side. Ami did not stop her eyes as she took in the lines of his form, studying the width of his arms and the fix of his muscles. "I do think they want to kill anyone. At every chance, we have tried to spare the lives of our attackers, but I will not deny that I or Artemis has killed."

"I do not assume the NVerse will give up on the crystal," Ami interrupted. "I just…"

His eyes drew to her. He watched the slight twitch in her expression. She was an expert in covering her thoughts. It was difficult to interpret her facial expressions even after months of spending time with her. "It's just that you have never killed anyone."

Ami couldn't look him in the face. She didn't want to admit that she wanted to spare the people who had shot at her and her friends. By all right, she should hate them with amorous fury, especially for what they did to her. Yet, she was reluctant to think of killing.

Fighting on missions had always been easy. They knew how to spare their opponents, to disarm them, and bring them to the authorities. None of their challengers would ever trace a path back to them. Each fighter was scared out of their wit when they encounter huge waves and flame throwers. Those fights didn't reach the level of extermination. This fight would.

The thought broke her countenance. The invisible line would be broken once she stole a man's life. She would be transformed from a fragile innocence to something more solid and unchanging. To some, it would be considered strength to be able to bear the dark responsibility. She was terrified to think that old words could become true. She would become an unfeeling ice queen.

_'To discard a life as if it didn't deserve a second chance…'_

"Is there any other way?" she whispered, clutching her mug of cold coffee. Zoisite stared at her. He wasn't sure if she was actually directing the question to anyone in particular. "Is there no way to spare them? At least some of them?"

Zoisite had no answer. He had been ruled by that question for the first year of his life with the cat family. Then, he had made his first kill and sank into the notion that death could not be avoided.

"Do you not intend to spare your former generals?"

His eyes slid closed. The old question returned to his heart and clutched it. He wanted to spare them, to rid them of the seduction that ensnared them. He felt it was partly his fault for letting them slip into the NVerse's clutches when he should have been caring for their doubts. If he had only assured them of the Silver Millennium's righteousness, the kingdom and his men would have been spared the tragic downfall. He would, however, not spare the man who attacked his princess.

"I want in all my heart for my men to be given a second chance," he admitted. "I do not remember your death or the fall of the kingdom, but I still mourn. Regardless of my sorrow, I feel as if my life now shows there is a place for second chances. The stones I found are a confirmation of such. I will honor them enough to try and save their souls, but I will not do so in exchange for your life or the others."

Her eyes shifted to him. He met her gaze firmly, trying to pass all that his heart held for her in a silent message. Her heart was stirred by the light in his eyes, but the darkness of their position quickly dampened it. She turned away as her thoughts became bleaker.

"There only two stones left?" she asked.

His hand unconsciously sought out the small box in his coat's inner pocket. Her blue eyes watched as his hand pressed against his chest and the faint contour of the box was revealed. She hastily averted her eyes.

"Yes. I threw the last one at that general. I'm lucky I use to play pitcher in my college baseball team."

Ami dropped onto the loveseat and studied the chest board. "How is it that you know which stone goes with each man?"

Zoisite shrugged, "I've had a gut feeling. Somehow I could connect the two when I stared down at my collection."

With a slight scowl, she replaced the chest pieces back into their start positions. She glanced to the clock and wished the others were awake. She wanted to discuss things. She wanted to make a decision!

The loveseat suddenly shifted under her, and upon swiveling in her seat, she found Zoisite seating uncomfortably close beside her. She felt her cheeks grow hot as she watched his tip the mug to his lips. Ami couldn't help, but admire the cut of his face. He was born a hansom man. She forced her eyes away. _'He is not yours to admire.'_

She stopped. _'Is he anyone's?'_

Unconsciously, her eyes shifted back. _'Technically, he is not engaged to her. He had intended to marry her, but does that pass into this time period. Is it betrayal to look upon something that could be?'_

Zoisite suddenly glanced into her direction. A mischievous grin adorned his face and he winked. Ami grew flushed and stared down at the chest board, again. He had seen her watching him.

Fingertips danced on her collarbone and Ami jumped. She clamped her mouth close to keep from waking the others. She glared pointedly at the chuckling man beside her. He grinned behind his red mug.

_'He wants to play? Or is he trying to make me forgetting what we were talking about?'_

It didn't matter. Before she could make some sort of statement against his behavior, steps were heard down the hall. They both looked towards the entrance and waited for the person to appear into view. It didn't take long for a blonde mess to walk out and rub her blurry eyes.

"Morning, Serena," Zoisite greeted, cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

Ami immediately noticed she had not received a greeting earlier. She clamped her teeth down on her tongue from voicing a rude comment and occupied herself with starting a new game of chest. Serena mumbled a half-heard greeting and headed over to the kitchen, drawn by the heady smell of caffeine. Once her back was turn, Zoisite returned his attention to the woman beside him. His smile evaporated when he saw tightness in her jaw. That was not the frustration from his earlier playfulness that he saw. There was something else brewing in her expression, something deeper.

With a tilt of his lips, he admired the smooth span of her cheek. He lunged forward and planted a sliding kiss across the unguarded flesh. Her hand froze over the Pawn, eyes wide. His heart skipped merrily as he saw the slightest turn of her lips drifted upwards. Whatever was bothering her had momentarily been forgotten by his affection. The notion warmed his beaten soul. _'Perhaps, I'm reaching you, Mouse.'_

Then, her smile slipped back down as if it had never been. He was disheartened to watch her previous expression return. He was tempted to lean back over and offer another kiss. Ami kept her face straightforward. The simple sentence she had read in his journal months ago had returned to her like a dagger in the night. _I will find you, my Beloved._

_'You are searching for her,'_ she whispered inwardly. _'Even if you have yet to know who she is to your heart, you have sought her. I will not stand in her way. She has done more for me than I ever could for her.'_

Serena plopped down into the recliner. Ami glanced to her and saw the woman's eyes appraising her. She returned to her game and shifted the pieces.

"Do you think they're okay?" Serena tentatively questioned.

Ami was swallowed by guilt. She had forgotten about Amara and the others. She had been too consumed with her own problems to think of them. She was such a horrible friend.

"I hope so." Ami wondered if they sat in the darkness. Had they been separated? Did they clutch each other's hands? Did they pass in and out of sleep like she had? Had they given up hope?

Another round of footsteps down the hall was followed by a door opening. The quiet home was stirring. Zoisite lifted out of his seat and went to the kitchen. Ami saw him reach for a frying pan. Lita and Artemis walked into the room and a chorus of greetings was lifted. She grinned. Soon enough they would sit and discuss their options. Then, she would know what to do.

* * *

"I don't think we shall continue with your training."

"Are you sure?" Mina asked, looking at the other faces around the seating room. "You said it was vital to improve."

Luna nodded, "And you have. It was truly Rei and Lita who were most vulnerable. Their elements are hard to find outside of civilization so they were my main concern. Ami can pull water from the air if she was desperate and gravity is an overflowing well for you, Mina."

"So then we can go rescue the girls?" Lita rushed.

Artemis kept his gaze to the window, watching carefully for any movement. Luna glanced to him before shaking her head. "Not immediately. We must take time to decide a strategy. When Zoisite rescued Ami from the base, he was lucky."

Her scarlet eyes gave him a furious glare. "He wasn't supposed to go without Artemis."

He ignored the look. He didn't care if he disobeyed her and Artemis. He had been able to save her and that was what mattered. Luna rolled her eyes when she saw the boy slip an arm around the back of couch, behind the blue-haired girl. "Anyways, we need to memorize the maps Zoi and Artemis have drawn for us. The base is an unmarked maze of halls and dangerous rooms. There aren't many guards near the main chambers, but there are hordes at the beginning. Plus, there are some places they have not been and we can't be sure what those areas entail."

"Are you going to try and map those places first?" Serena questioned.

Zoisite shook his head at Luna. "We can't. They doubled their guards last time we were there. If we go, we will likely lose someone or be followed back here. And, a surprise infiltration afterwards would be perceived. We need the element of surprise to be successful."

"We need to memorize the maps before we can do anything," Artemis stated from his distant position. "We might need to split up—"

"We will not separate," Luna interrupted curtly. Her husband looked to her with a silent statement clouding his eyes. It seemed that they had had this discussion before this meeting. His stony eyes met her without resistance.

"It will take less time to find the girls," he said evenly.

Luna shook her dark, violet locks. "We are too weak a party to separate."

Artemis's jaw tightened. "We can still be separated, dear. Once inside, we could be divided and if we should be scattered we must know the ins and outs of the building. It will be our last chance at surviving."

"I know, sweetheart. I just don't want us to separate intentionally. We barely held out against one general. In there will be facing as much as an army."

His worried eyes returned to the window. Ami allowed herself the opportunity to breath. She hadn't seen a disagreement pass between the pair and it had surprised her to see the hostile travel through their eyes. The others in the room were hardly affected.

"So when will we head out?" Rei shrewdly eyed the cats. She wasn't ready to accept that their hosts were being completely honest. She hated to be so pessimistic, but she would not let her or her friends taken advantage. Her sharp eyes studied their host, uncertain.

Zoisite scanned the unfolded blueprints on the coffee table. "I say we could memorize these in a week, if we are diligent."

"Then, a week from today we will go to the base," Luna responded with a definite air. "We will rescue them."

"Are we only going for the girls?" Lita asked, her hands nervously shaking in her lap. _'Or will we go to kill their leader, too?'_

Luna's eyes twitched towards her husband. She anxiously crossed her legs, trying to think of the best way to answer. It was likely they would face the leader long before they ever reach the girls. After all, the whole thing was a suicide mission. They wouldn't all make it back out alive. Someone would fall long before they headed for the exit. She didn't want the idea to be in the girls' heads. Even if she told them, they would still lunge into the dark halls, determined to save their friends. They were too loyal to leave anyone behind. "It depends on what happens. We are trying to get out without being noticed, but anyone who gets in our path we will have to remove."

Luna wasn't surprise to see their eyes turn away. They had never done anything to this level. The enormity of their mission was finally catching up them. They had known the last two months that they would face off with the NVerse, but the idea had always been like a fairytale or a dream. They had lived in the sanctuary of the old safe house, acting like a misfit family. They had eaten, laughed, and done chores. The fight had always seemed so far away from their safe home. Now, they could no longer run from the reality.

Luna studied their clenched jaws and clouded eyes. "Ladies, are you sure you are prepared for this?"

Rei shifted in her seat and Serena twiddled her fingers. The others remained motionless. Zoisite fixed his appraising stare on Ami's profile, wary of how her emotions did not shift like the others.

"Before we do anything you must decide if you can go all the way," Luna hesitated. "This isn't something you will be able to walk away from later and forget. It will stay with you for the entirety of your lives. To go in there half-hearted, it will get you killed. You must be prepared to fight with everything you have. You cannot hold back."

Mina's face twisted upward. Luna was taken aback with the confident smile on the blonde girl's troubled face. "Don't worry, Luna. When the people we care about are involved, we don't go half-way."

"Absolutely," Lita agreed, loudly.

Ami shifted in her seat. Zoisite saw something in her eyes. He couldn't be sure what it was, but it made his stomach twist. "If there is a chance to spare lives without sacrificing the mission…"

Luna stared at the girl incredulously. She had thought a million different answers would leap from her lips, but not that one. It seemed odd for her of all people. Surely, there was some anger and hate for her captors. Luna had not been concern whether or not Ami had some fury against their enemy. It was completely understandable after what she had endured. This, however, was much different and instantly swallowed the woman in worry. "Ami?"

"If there was a way," the girl insisted, ignoring the stares her friends were giving her. "Would you allow us to use it?"

Confused, Luna blinked rapidly. "It depends. What is it that you propose?"

"How about a tranquilizer?"

Zoisite's eyebrows rose. "What?"

* * *

Zoisite didn't say a word as he drove. He kept his hands on the wheel and only dared a few glances towards the mute girl sitting beside him. She had said very little since they had left the safe house. He could tell it wasn't his presence that had shut her mouth. No, that same look she had worn back in the meeting was still painted on her face. Her eyes were on the passing countryside, the rising, emerald peaks and homey town nestled in its cradle. Even so, her full attention was focused inwards, picking apart some master thought. He was curious to know what had been occupying her since yesterday night. It had to be big to distract _her_.

She pressed her thumbnail against her bottom lip, nibbling on the tip of her finger. Her eyes had dipped lower, ignoring the painted landscape. Zoisite frowned when he saw the nervous behavior. He had never seen her bite down on her fingernails. That was a habit for Mina, Serena, even Rei, but not Ami. The intern handled stress with a poker face. Sure, she had freaked out when Luna had dropped the bombshell of the NVerse and the Silver Crystal on her head, but it would be unfair to say she wouldn't freak. She was only human.

Serena had told him months ago when Ami use to avoid him that Ami was always calm in bad situations. She knew panicking in a dire predicament wouldn't save her or others. She would restrain her feelings rattle through the endless solutions. Under the surface, she was ready to have a total meltdown. Ami had once admitted to Serena that she was as terrified as any one of her friends, but she forced herself her brain to keep busy. Basically, it was a race to the finish line between her fear and a solution. Fear only won out if she couldn't think of a solution; that's why she kept pushing her brain. She worked odds, strategies, equations, anything to keep her brain too busy to think of why she was afraid. Serena had always laughed it off saying she didn't have enough brain to keep her own fear under control.

'_Then, what's bothering her so much right now?'_ Zoisite wondered, checking her again. She had now pressed her chin into her palm, her index finger lightly tapping the side of her knee. He quickly went back to the road, checking their position. They were about to enter the edge of town.

"Penny for your thoughts," he asked coolly. He carefully watched her awaken from her thoughts. Her finger stopped tapping against her knee and her eyes narrowed. She took in the scene of trees thinning and slowly rotated her shoulders towards him.

"Sorry. What did you say?"

Zoisite inwardly sighed. "Are you sure you now how to make a tranquilizer? I understand your smart, Ames, but do really know something so random?"

Ami smiled into the breaking sunlight from behind the nearest peak. "Yea, I know how. I considered carrying tranquilizers on missions."

"Considered? Why didn't you ever use them?" The trees pulled back and revealed a fast approaching clump of buildings.

She shrugged as she examined the small town. "There's no point. Our gifts handle the situation. It's easier to rely on our gifts, something less predictable to our opponents. Besides, tranquilizers are only good when you have an opponent. Sometimes we were rescuing people from burning buildings, earthquakes, blah, blah, blah. You know, super hero stuff."

Zoisite chuckled, settling more comfortably into his seat. "Yea, super hero stuff. Is it still weird to you? I mean everything you do?"

"You mean my gift? Or the superhero career?"

He cocked his head to one side. "Both I suppose."

Ami thought back to her first text message received from Luna. "I honestly try not to think in those terms. It makes things easier if I just think of how to handle the job at hand. Not how I do it or how it would look to others. I can just imagine what would happen if the public found out. Sooner or later, there would be newspaper articles of trying to identify these crime fighters. Then, a children's superhero magazine would publish and us girls would, of course, be in skimpy outfits. Maybe a cartoon show would depict our missions and make us aliens from outer space to explain our extraordinary powers. Possibly, a movie would make the number one sale in the local box office. It would be ridiculous."

"What?" he laughed loudly. "Don't like the lime light?"

Ami heatedly glared. He couldn't hold back the smirk.

"How did you ever hide from the media before?" he asked suddenly in all seriousness. "Surely, the media got word of these weird rescues and arrests."

Ami forced down her smile. "You've must have never watched our local news reporters."

"You mean they never found out? That not possible. Reporters can dig up stuff from the Oval Office given the time."

"We made sure to stay out of the spot light. Sometimes we slipped up. The people we'd rescued would catch a glimpse of our face or the 'bad guy' realized something was off about how he got captured. Overall, those problems were few and far between. It would gain some mild coverage, but it didn't scare us. The reporters didn't connect the dots, nor could they have if they had tried." Ami held out her hands and flexed her fingers. She exhaled a contented sigh, surprising the man beside her. "I'm a pretty good hacker. One or two hours of rearranging facts or deleting source materials, and we were in the clear. A reporter would have to be the leading rep on most of those media stories to ever catch wind of an underlying story."

Her eyes drifted back towards the window, scrutinizing the current of people passing on the sidewalk. His despair returned when he saw her thumb nail return to her lips. He had barely relieved her of her distress.

"Impressive," he loosely commented, trying to keep his worried unvoiced. "I never considered you being a hacker."

She shifted beside him, thumb escaping her mouth. "I'm not as impressive as some hackers. I never got into the FBI mainframe."

Shock rolled over him. "Did you try?"

Ami didn't reply. Her ego purred when she heard the awe in his response. She forced down her grin and checked the buildings. Her thoughts disappeared when she spotted the particular one they had been driving towards. She instinctively grabbed his elbow and pointed in the building's direction with her free hand. "There it is."

Zoisite frowned at the cartoon animals drawn in the window. They were all running from a poor copied version of Looney Tunes favorite hunter, Elmer Fude. A line of traps, stuffed foxes, and guns sat in the display behind the glass. "Well, they have guns."

"Let's hurry," Ami prodded. "I don't want to be out longer than necessary."

She pushed open the door the second he had pulled into a parking spot. Zoisite hastily threw off his seat belt and yanked out his keys. After he shut the door, he glowered at the girl, studying the window display. "I doubt the generals have found us in less than twenty-four hours, Ames. Calm down."

She waved her hand at him as she went for the store's front door. "It's not that. I just want to start working on this stuff."

His heart dropped a peg. He had been silently hoping, though it was a little unfair to hope with their time constraints, for some alone time with her. The jeep fiasco and her odd behavior were making him uneasy. He didn't like how much distance separated them, and he wasn't thinking in geographical positions. She had kept her dreams from him, and now she was distracted over something. He could almost feel the miles stretching between them, and he hated it. He wanted to go back to the forest, to the second before the general had appeared. He had been so close. Not to her lips, but to something deeper and fuller than a single kiss.

Entering the store, they were surrounded by shelves of stuff animals. The wooden boarded were pressed tight with rabbits, owls, foxes, even a few baby mountain cats. Overhead, deer and bear heads lined the wall with an occasional hawk hanging down from wire. Zoisite's nose wrinkled when he spotted the faded yellow sign nailed to a stump at the end of the shelves: _"You kill it. We fill it."_

"Gross," he mumbled as he hastily put some distance between him and the shelf of weasels.

Ami moved over to the rack of guns. Mainly shotguns lined the wall. It wasn't surprising considering they were in the mountains, but it horribly disappointing to her. Shotguns wouldn't be use to her or the girls in a narrow hallway. They needed a smaller, light weight gun. A flutter of pink caught her gaze and she shifted. She was excited to see a row of brightly colored, feathered tipped vials. Evidently, the store carried tranquilizers as they had hoped.

She stepped back and checked the rest of the store. There were a few handguns inside the glass display used for the check-out counter. A stuffed grizzle bear stood on its hind legs beside the cash register. Its jaws were wide open in a mute roar with is ears brushing the underbelly of the ceiling. Flashy bait hung over the register like wind chimes and trophy fish decorated a corner dedicated to fishing gear. Camping equipment took up the final corner next to the "Employees Only" door.

Ami stepped up to counter, roving her blue eyes for the owner. Spotting a little bell on the counter, she took the initiative and rang for assistance. "Hello?"

"Coming!" A muffled voice called merrily from the back rooms. Soon the 'Employees Only" door opened and revealed a bearded man with a huge smile. He was wearing a red flannel shirt, making Ami think of hunter stereotypes. He shuffled behind the counter. "Welcome. How may I help you, yanks?"

Ami immediately liked the man.

She heard Zoisite come up behind prepared to step in. She wanted to roll her eyes. He had made it clear before they had got into the jeep that she would need his help for this part. Hardly moved by his sexist statement, she confidently got into the jeep and told him to keep his mouth shut if he wanted to see the show.

With all the show of innocence, Ami smiled sweetly at the store owner. "Hello, sir. My boyfriend and I were going camping this week out in Brown Peak and we wanted to buy some tranquilizer darts in case we run into bears. We heard it's illegal to shoot them."

"Yes, maim. It is." He lifted an arm to the rack she had previously been inspecting. "We have a small assortment of tranquilizers, but I need to see a gun license before I can sell you any."

Zoisite already had out his license and handed it over. The man carefully examined the id before handing it back. "Did you already own a shotgun? Or did you want to purchase one with the tranquilizers?"

Ami immediately stepped back into the conversation with a flipped her hair out of her eyes. "Actually, I was wondering if you carried tranquilizers in any type of hand held gun."

The owner scowled and glanced towards Zoisite. "A hand held gun?—"

"Well, you see," Ami interceded. "I've tried handling the shotgun, but it's a little much for me. I wanted a smaller gun with us incase I was alone and needed to protect myself."

She leaned forward, and gave an exaggerated glance towards Zoisite. Bringing her hand to cup around her mouth, she whispered loudly, "Plus, he's got the worse aim."

The comment gained merry chuckle from the shop keeper and a snort from the disgruntle man behind her. Ami's eyes twinkled, enjoying the warm social. There had been little to enjoy in the last few days.

"Well, my young lady, I'm afraid tranquilizers don't run in handguns."

She pushed out her bottom lip, like Mina did so gracefully in the bars. "Really?"

She heard Zoisite scoff behind her beneath her breathe. Leaning a little further on her elbows, she judged her balance and kicked him smartly in the shin. She heard the pleasant sound of his teeth slamming close to hold in a grunt of pain. She didn't care if she was acting ridiculous. They were hard pressed on time.

"The problem is, miss, that tranquilizers are not full proof. The point of the tranquilizers is to protect you and the bear. It's supposed to a happy medium. Most environmental activists don't like the idea of killing one of our endangered species. Unfortunately, the dart has to be heavy enough to knock out the animal to keep you for harm, and thus, the weight of the sedative is so much that it often kills the animal instead of saving it. There's been talk lately of removing the darts from the shelves because the darts have only proven their objective in 1 out of 3 attacks."

"So an idea about a handgun with tranquilizer darts is out of the question?" The question was closer to rhetorical than an actually inquiry.

"It would be reckless to build a handgun to take darts. It would not be able to carry enough sedative to knock out a baby bear, and it would have a higher risk of a person accidentally shooting another person. The sedative would be low for a small bear, but it would definitely kill an adult human, or at least put them in a coma."

Ami's eyes dropped momentarily, considering. Zoisite brushed up against her and gentle pushed her aside. Too busy with her thoughts, she didn't try to stop him.

"Well, then we won't waste any more your time, sir," he politely stated as he took Ami's elbow. "Thank you for your patience and assistance."

"Oh, that's quite alright," the store owner replied. Ami glanced over at the darts. The man circled to the front of the counter, stretching his arm towards the corner of camping equipment. "Did you have everything you would need for this weekend? Did you guys have a good tent? The weather reports say the temperature won't get much higher this weekend."

As Zoisite was unwilling ushered towards the corner, Ami took the opportunity to slip out of his hold. He glanced back at her with a frustrated frown for being abandoned. Feeling playful, she returned his glare with a haughty grin. The two men soon pulled into the corner, their backs to her.

She hastily studied the tranquilizers. They were all empty display pieces, but there had to be a few nearby. Her eyes immediately went to the glass counter and explored the items tucked inside. In a short breath, she had found identical darts, dark with full stomachs of colored liquid. Making sure that both men were still busy, she pressed her palm against the glass. The water droplets in the air rushed up along the glass, collecting together to form thread-wide rivers. They rolled across the surface under her careful instruction. More water was plucked from the air and fueled into the thin threads. The droplets kissed together, tucking each other into their bosoms, as they hurried across the inches. Her blue eyes lifted momentarily to gauge her time envelope. _'Only a minute. I need only a minute.'_

She fueled more energy into her gift. Carefully, she stepped a little further around the side of the counter, trying to get a better view of the lock. The water rippled over the glass. The inside contents began to shift beneath the watery glass, dancing with the flow. She tasted the dryness in the air and knew there was little room for error. Ami stretched the water as if she was sewing. The threads inched towards the lock's mouth. The tips hesitated at the lip, grazing against the edge as if terrified of the darkness tucked inside. Ami prodded her gift and it hastily plunged into the lock's belly.

Instantly, the water fused into ice and pressed against the tumblers. The glass became frosted as the trails of water did not escape the frigid touch. The ice key was formed in only three seconds and with a careful roll of her risk, the lock clicked open.

Ami checked to see if the men had heard the faint sound. They still had their back turned. Her eyes dropped as she quietly slid the door open. Her hand lunged towards the nearest dart. Lifting the vial to her face, she inspected the dart. There was a label stuck to its side, explaining the chemicals used for the tranquilizer. _'Perfect.'_

She shoved the dart into her coat pocket, thankful for the plastic cap over the needle, and put the door back into place. Another roll of her wrist and the lock was reset. Looking up, she saw their shoulders beginning to turn towards her. She casually stepped over to the stuff grizzle bear, pretending to be entrance by its magnificence.

"Well, thanks for the advice," Zoisite said as he frantically headed towards his waiting princess. Ami pulled away from the bear with a brilliant smile. Her lips faltered, however, when she noticed a fiery blush covering the man's face. Zoisite refused to meet her eyes as he strode purposefully towards the door.

"Um…thank you, sir," she added hastily before trotting after Zoisite. The man chuckled warmly as he watched the petite girl catch up to her boyfriend, asking what was wrong. He was so caught up in the lovely scene of young romance that he failed to notice the last touch of fog lift from his glass counter.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ami asked louder, a note of annoyance in her tone. "What did that man say?"

Zoisite shook her off. The louder her voice got, the hotter his face became. "I don't want to talk about it."

He unlocked his door and dove into its protective confines. Shutting the door on her grumbles, he soaked in the momentary silence. The reverence was immediately broken once she yanked her own door open and continued the onslaught of questions. He groaned loudly as she pressed his patience, "I've never seen you like this before. What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," he grumbled, turning on the car.

Catching on, Ami suddenly broke into a wicked grin, "Did the guy say something about me and you?"

Zoisite chose not to answer. He grudgingly reversed out of the parking lot, avoiding her eyes as he turned around to watch out for traffic. His rosy cheeks were apparent.

"He must have said something good to get you flustered," Ami commented dryly. She watched his arms jerk the wheel and her heart merrily skipped. The notion of them together sounded so pleasant. It made her forget about Serena's connection to him. Instead, she was caught in the thought how unafraid she was of the implication. Months ago, she had fled from the idea, barely able to keep her countenance. Now, she was drawn to the idea, considering unnamed possibilities. Her mind drifted to an imaginary campsite, wondering what it be like to look up the stars with Zoisite beside her.

Ami's heart went cold when her hand, which had unknowingly dipped into her coat pocket, brushed against the glass vial. A lot of things would soon happen at the end of the week, and there was little promise of a future after it. She gritted her teeth as the harsh truth sunk into her heart.

"—I mean you would have to have heard how he put it. The way he said we would be having _wild relations_ out in the wilderness was horribly disrespectful to you. And, he implied many disgraceful things about you."

Ami quickly caught back up to the conversation. "What?"

Zoisite coughed awkwardly. "I don't want to repeat it."

Her eyes narrowed. Her previous opinion about the store keeper was taking a drastic turn as she watched the man beside her growing more and more uncomfortable.

"What did he insinuate?" she carefully asked.

His behavior became more agitated. He kept shifted in his seat, and combing back his hair, regardless that it wasn't covering his view of the road. "He… commented that a petite women where a bit on the wild side."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned bright red. She pressed her back firmly into her seat and kept her face towards the road. He didn't need to add anything to make her understand his meaning. Her mouth flapped open as she tried to think of a proper rebuttal. She hardly wanted to discuss that part of her dating experience, especially since her entire experience had never included a bedroom life. Nor did she want to leave the conversation in such an uncomfortable tension with the subject left unchecked.

"No offense, Zoi," she stuttered lightly. "But you're not about to find out if that man is right."

Zoisite's smile loosely. "I honestly wasn't thinking in that direction, Ames. Don't worry."

"Good," she mumbled, crossing her arms. She was terribly embarrassed with even speaking up on the topic. Maybe she should have left it alone. "I don't want you to think I was that kind of girl."

His eyes shifted to her. His gaze warmed upon the sight of her mirroring his fluster. "I would never think of you less than an honorable woman."

The curve of her mouth went upwards. Greg had once told her the same thing, except not so elegantly. Maybe it was a little unfair to think it, but Zoisite's words touched a part of her heart that Greg had failed to reach. "Thank you."

* * *

The next few days were heavy laden. A good part of their days were dedicated to studying the endless building blueprints, but their time was also spent in rigorous physical training. With their gifts at their peak, the girls were concerned with their approaching marathon mission. They weren't sure how long they would be in the NVerse's base and they wanted to ensure they could handle the stress on their bodies. Even Artemis and Zoisite joined in on their workouts.

Luna kept to the house, making sure good meals and cold drinks were prepared for her crew. It was still uncertain whether or not she would be partaking in their rescue mission. Though she wanted to be by her princess's side, her top priority was to ensure her daughter's safety. Luna wasn't about to leave Diana at home alone while she risked her life. There was no telling what would happen inside the base, and she was fearful of making her daughter an orphan. Luna spoke of leaving Diana with a friend, but it was obvious she was torn.

The days drifted by with unrelenting slowness. The girls didn't talk much during those days. They plunged into their work, pushing their muscles and brains to the brink. The mounting fear between them kept their lips sealed. They each were coming to term with the possibility of never returning.

In the past, they had dealt with the idea, but never truly gave it much consideration. It was hard to imagine dying when you had the power to wield a supernatural force. They thought themselves to be limitless. Perhaps, it is fair to have said, they believed themselves to be goddesses. Through that belief, they also came to believe they were destined to watch over the people that surrounded them. Regardless of their wants to be teachers and scientists, they held to the singular understanding that their true purpose was to be guardians over their world. Sure, it was warped idea influenced by children's stories and delicious superiority, but even still they believed their powers could not have been graced through chance. Unfortunately, it made them very detach from mortal fear. Becoming faced with it now, made each of them uncertain and frightened.

They began to think of the end of the week as a doomsday. It was no longer a fight to retrieve their friends, but a stand off against the evil of the universe. They were not foolish enough to believe that they would leave without challenge.

What scared them most was what they did not know about the forces they would face. They had fought against three different generals, but they had yet to meet the fourth, the champion of the NVerse, the leader of the NVerse, and the numberless army. Who was to say what it would be like to have supernatural powers shot back at them a thousand times over?

Thus, they pushed hard to prepare. They kept their mouths close, kept their thoughts silent, strained their muscles, and engraved the blueprints into their minds. Luna was very distressed by their behavior, but she could not dispute it. She knew they were slowing passing through a transition between young women to full blown guardians. She could see the glimmer in their eyes. It was the light of strength from their past lives.

_'There is hope for this world yet, Luna. The Senshi have been destroyed, but a promise lies in their reincarnation. Go to them, and lead them back to their path. Give them purpose and they shall stand once more against the injustice that has ruined this kingdom. Hope lies in their loyal sisterhood. Their strength lies in each other.'_

_'Yes, my queen.'_

* * *

Rei stumbled out into the hall, barely restraining a loud yawn. There were still several hours left till morning, but her stupid bladder wouldn't wait. She forced her legs out of bed, but she was every bit furious at her bladder lack of patience.

It didn't help that she was getting little sleep these last few nights. Erratic vision had followed her into sleep and she kept waking every few hours. The images were so disoriented and shrouded in tension that Rei could barely recall half of the visions. She remembered seeing Ami and another figure, but it was all fuzzy in her head.

What was worse was the suffocating air of her ESP pressing down on her.

Since she was very young, she had a natural gift for reading fire charms. It was a delicate ability most people of Shinto Shrines had failed to acquire even after years of diligent service. By the time she was five, she was able to mediate in front of a bonfire and able to pull out snippets of thoughts and emotions. Three years later, she was able to see images in the flames. By twelve years old, she was having relentless nightmares. It was rare, the Shinto disciples had said, to find a child so gifted.

It was more of a curse than blessing Rei had commented to her roommates. For most people born with ESP they were often solitary people. The sixth sense would bombard the gifted individual with so much raw information that it would slowly drive the individual insane. Reality and sensory lost boundaries very quickly and the gifted was often forced away from society because of their inability to channel their gifts. Many had been shoved into asylums because people did not know how to cope with people spouting out disorganized sentences and having irrational panic attacks.

_'It's like you're suffocating. You keep having these feelings pressing down on you that you don't where they came from or how to stop them. You simply feel them, barreling down on you like a train blowing its whistle. Then, if you're gift is strong, you have dreams that are mostly nightmares. You wake up screaming a lot because it's so intense a feeling. It's worse than a nightmare however because it doesn't leave you when you wake up. It just keeps on you no matter how hard you try to shake it off.'_

The special few who were able to channel their gift became high ranking Shinto priests or priestesses. What they had learned to do was masked their gifts and push back their emotions. They developed their gifts to be more of a magnifying glass that they could look through at will. It helped them to draw borders around the paranormal experience and allowed them to decipher what they found. Even with this ability, the priests and priestesses were still overcome from time and again by powerful visions and floating emotions. Auspiciously, they were able to restrain their panic and carefully pull apart the paranormal attack on their being unlike their lower disciples. Sometimes they barely flicked an eyelash or gave an audible gasp whenever these happened.

Rei had been dealing with that for the past week. Lately, she had sensed a cloud of anxiety and guilt enveloping the house. There was so much of it to filter through that Rei was unsure if she was sensing a single person or everyone together. She kept trying to pick apart the wave of emotions, but it kept developing into a stronger, more insistent wave. There was simply too much to deal with for her.

_'Stupid ESP,'_ Rei cursed inwardly as she shoved the bathroom door open. The main reason that she was so irritable was because of her stupid gift. It was ever persistent to ruin her disposition. It tore at her sleep and disturbed her fragile disposition. Who wouldn't be pissy when they dealt with air headed blondes and rushing emotions at the same time?

Rei froze when she looked down and saw that the bathroom was already taken. Ami's face snapped up from her papers the moment the door open. She was sitting on the floor in her pink pajamas with her hair tied up with a short ponytail. She had a notebook open in her lap and she was using the toilet seat as a desk. There dozens of messy papers scattered around her on the floor. She smiled sheepishly at her roommate's confused expression.

"Hey Rei," she greeted softly.

The priestess blinked rapidly as the warm room caught up with her. Her sleepy eyes gazed down at the stacks of white sheet spread across the white floor. "Ami? What are you doing in the bathroom with all these papers?"

The short nurse began to hastily gather her work. "It's not much. I just couldn't go to sleep so I decided to work on a few ideas for—"

"Tranquilizers?" Rei read the title atop one of the pages. "I thought you scrapped that idea after you came back from town."

Ami stacked the papers into a corner and rushed out into the hall. Rei stared at her. "Go ahead and use the bathroom, Rei. That's why you're up, right? When you're done you can ask me all the questions you want."

Rei wanted to refuse and demand answers, but her bladder was impatiently pressing against her. Grumbling, the priestess ducked into the bathroom and closed the door. Ami sighed lightly and waited.

A few minutes later, Rei opened the door again and stared expectantly at the young nurse. Ami made sure to close the door behind her so they wouldn't wake the rest of the house. Rei put down the seat cover and dropped heavily onto the toilet as Ami took her previous seat at the priestess's feet. The intern pulled the papers back into her lap and began shuffling through the layers of work. Rei's dark eyes carefully examined the sheets the woman was looking through and noticed several equations written on the first pages.

_'Sometimes I wish I had her brains …'_

Ami stopped near the end of stack and pulled out a wrinkled page. It looked as if she had wadded it up with the intention of throwing it away. "Like you said earlier, I had tossed aside the idea of using tranquilizers to dispose of any soldiers we confronted inside the NVerse Corporation. These last few nights, however, I've had trouble sleeping and I couldn't let go of the idea to use tranquilizers."

Rei yawned loudly as she leaned against the wall. "I thought you said there was too high of a risk in using the tranquilizers. You said it could possibly kill them."

"I did," Ami admitted, reading the crumpled page. "The problem is the tranquilizer is basically a powerful sedative. The sedative has to be measured according to the person's body weight. Too much and the person could slip into an irreversible coma or die."

"Yes, but the chemicals in the tranquilizer, I found, got me to remember something important. Sedatives don't have to be taken directly into the bloodstream to work. The common rape drug GHB is the same thing and it is slipped into a person's drink."

"Ami, I doubt you could get one of their er…soldiers to drink it."

The nurse rolled her eyes gleefully. "Of course, but my thought is that perhaps there's another way to hit them with a dose. The GHB is measured in ratio to an average weight for females so there might be a way to average out a dose for universal use."

Rei was hardly convinced. Ami was the scientist, but Rei wondered if the girl was grabbing at straws. Ami had been acting odd since they had arrived at the safe house. Everyone had noticed, but no one had spoken a word about it to the intern. They had watched her from the corner of their eyes and spoken in whispers when she was elsewhere. It was only natural that the young nurse would be shaken from being attacked, but she been more than quiet. Ami was always daydreaming. She would nibble at her thumb nail, staring off to into space. It wasn't normal. She wasn't as alert as before. She was always a step behind them in exercises or lose track of the conversation. She had always been a master of hiding her troubles, but not this time. It was a blaring alarm going off in front of them.

"I think you should get some sleep, Ames," Rei wrapped her arms around her knees. She stared at her friend expectantly. She could feel the air shifting, growing thicker in her lungs. There was a flash of emotion that made Rei freeze. She blinked rapidly as the threads of the fleeting sensation slipped through her fingers. Had that been guilt? It had been massive.

"I'm okay," Ami chirped from her spot on the cold floor. "I think I'll play with this for a little longer. I might be able to figure something out."

"You need sleep." Rei huffed. "We've only got two nights left. We need every bit of rest we can get."

"I know. I know." She sounded distracted. Her pen had started to scribble around her notes, drawing extra equations and arrows. The priestess carefully studied the air surrounding her friend. She felt it quiver and twist over the nurse's flesh.

_'Her aura is disoriented,'_ Rei was immediately concerned. _'Ami's aura has never been like that. At least, not since Greg…' _

Reluctantly, the priestess pushed to her feet, eyes never leaving the girl's hunched form. She fidgeted when Ami never looked up. "Promise to go to bed in the next few minutes."

Ami nodded, bangs covering the view of her eyes. "Of course."

Rei hesitated for a short minute before heading out of the bathroom. The weight of the air suddenly seemed heavier.

* * *

Zoisite rubbed his eyes as he slowly pulled up off the couch. He raked his fingers through his tangled hair and blinked. He saw the curtains drawn back and the first rays of sunlight creeping through the trees.

The golden warmth did not reach his dark heart. He had known from the moment that he had shaken from sleep's hold that the day had finally arrived. Their week had ended and today they would infiltrate the NVerse's base of operations. The night had been hard on everyone. He doubted anyone had gotten any real sleep. They had probably tossed as much as he did last night. The only way any one had slept peacefully was from the sheer exhaustion they had instilled on their bodies the last few days.

Lifting from his bed, he turned to the kitchen. It was the morning duty of the first awake person to prepare coffee. He wasn't too surprise, however, to see the blue-haired woman standing next to the almost full coffee pot, dressed in a jeans and long sleeve shirt. Her dull eyes were set on the brew.

"Hey," he slurred, still half-asleep. He quietly drew towards her. "Did you get any sleep?"

She mutely shook her head. Her fingers clutched an empty coffee mug. She looked so alone and vulnerable, tucked away in the corner of the kitchen with her messy hair up in a clip. Zoisite's heart ached to see her face tight and drawn with concern. He walked over and gently wrapped her into his arms. She gasped softly, unprepared for him. "Zoi?"

"You okay?" he whispered tenderly.

Ami stiffened before gradually allowing herself to relax in his arms. "As well as can be expected."

He nodded against her crown. "I know."

Ami lifted her arms, but right before she gave him a hug she stopped. His worry increased dramatically when he noticed her arms drop like stones in a lake. He unconsciously began to rub his hands up and down her arms. "Things will turn out okay. We'll get them back, and get back your lives."

"And yours?" she asked softly. "Will you go back to archeology? Is there a home to go back to?"

His heart fluttered briefly. "My home is with you. I'll start a new life wherever you go."

Instead of warming up to his charms, she pulled away. His face twisted into disbelief as she went over to the stove. He couldn't find the strength to move. He simply watched her stir the eggs in the frying pan. Why had she pulled away?

"Ami—"

"Good, the coffee already prepared," Artemis stated in a mundane tone. Zoisite swiveled around and saw his mentor was already decked out in his bullet proof gear and casual clothes. He had even braided his long white hair. Artemis walked over to the cabinet and began to pull out several mugs. "Everyone else is already up and getting ready. They'll be out in a minute. Best get dressed, Zoi."

Zoisite glanced uncertainly at the girl's back before stalking off. By the time he had returned everyone was seated around the living room, nursing their cups of hot coffee. No one was really talking. They were all to busy staring at empty space. Looking towards the kitchen, he saw Ami shoving Lita away from the stove.

"I've got it, Lita," the nurse stated a little louder than normal. "Please, go sit and enjoy your coffee."

The brunette's shoulder drooped as she dejectedly left the kitchen. Zoisite was about to tell the girl to leave Ami be when Diana brushed pass him. Startled, he stumbled back. The little girl raced over to her mother and pulled herself into the woman's lap. "Mommy, can I have a cup of coffee?"

"No, sweetie." the woman chided. "You don't need to get addicted to caffeine like me and your father."

"Please!" the girl pressed, her curls bouncing.

Zoisite looked away when he felt a mug shoved into his hands. He smiled appreciatively at Ami, hoping to gain a warmer response from her. The girl didn't meet his eyes. She went back to the kitchen. The house seemed much colder.

With hard heart, he found an empty spot on the floor and took a seat. Luna patted her little girl's head and slyly handed her mug over without her husband noticing.

"As soon as we finish breakfast, we'll head over to my friend's place and drop Diana off," Artemis began loudly, catching the attention of the room. "Afterwards, we will head straight to NVerse's main building."

"Shouldn't we wait till nightfall?" Serena asked.

"There's little point," Luna replied. "Normally, night would give an advantage, but the NVerse's base is a twenty-four hour working facility. No matter what we're running into a heavy laden fortress. Our main priority, besides getting everyone out alive, is to stay together. We have a better chance sticking together. The second priority is to make sure we aren't discovered by security. The longest we can hold out discovery, the better chance we have getting out. Once they go on the alert, they will begin to make a systematic search of the floors. You've already memorized several escape routes, but be mindful of those blind spots where you can get cornered. Be aware of your surroundings.

"The girls will most likely be on the floor that has least access. Zoisite and I are guessing it is either the top or bottom floor. When we get there, Rei, you will decide which direction we choose. We're going to rely on your ESP."

The priestess confidently nodded though her stomach twisted painfully.

Ami stepped into the room, carrying a tray of plates. "How about we eat first and then discuss the game plan? Breakfast is the most important meal and we need every bit of it if we are going to make it through this mission."

Luna nodded in agreement as she took her plate. "Thank you for making breakfast, Ami."

"Your welcome," Ami smiled unevenly as she handed Diana a much smaller helping of eggs and bacon. She hurried to grab more plates once she had emptied her trays. In barely no time, she came back with the rest of the meals. Once everyone had started eating, Zoisite noticed Ami was hanging at the edge of the kitchen. There was an untouched plate in her hands. She was staring down at the fluffy eggs with a lost look in her eyes.

_'She's thinks we're not coming back, I bet.'_

Ami glanced at the group as her fork hovered over her meal.

_'Rei said that Ami was feeling guilty. She's probably thinks this is all her fault.'_

All of sudden, a plate crashed to the floor. Zoisite whirled and saw Lita clutching her throat with her shattered plate and yellow eggs covering the carpet. Someone else starting gagging and then anther plate hit the floor. He rushed to his feet, plate in hand, and felt an abrupt sense of dizziness steal his breath away. His throat squeezed out a sharp gasp. Serena tried to vainly grab the edge of the love seat as she slumped off her seat. _'What's happening?'_

He scanned the room and saw Luna sprawled across the floor with her eyes sliding close. Diana was curled against her chest, already unconscious. It took all his energy to turn his neck. He saw Rei collapse next, followed by Mina. Blonde covered black like the gold sunshine fighting against night's curtain. His eyes fluttered dangerously. His knees began to buckle and he felt his body sinking towards the floor. He threw out his hand, trying to catch the coffee table, but his arm was too weak. Before he hit the hard floor, something hot slipped behind him and slowed his fall. He forced his eyes focused and minutes before the darkness took him, he saw her sad, blue eyes staring down at him. Her eyes were full of guilty apology.

_'Ami?'_

He was the last to fall unconscious. Ami gently placed him on the floor, glad he was the only one who had chosen to stand. She wouldn't have been able to cushion all their falls. She had waited till everyone was seated to make sure no one get hurt.

Looking down and seeing what she had done to her family, Ami's heart clenched painfully. Without thinking, she reached up and started the timer on her watch. _'Three hours.'_

She squeezed her eyes shut and forced her breathing to stay even. Her legs mechanically brought her to the hall closet. Eyelids rolled open as she pulled out a stuffed backpack and a jean jacket. Putting them aside, she next dragged a gray duffel bag from the corner of the closet. Kneeling beside the duffel, she unzipped the bag. As if she had already become familiar with the contents, the girl removed a pair of automatic handguns, a dozen magazines, and a holster. Her arms felt like they were filled with lead as she carefully pulled the holster over her shoulders. She loaded the guns with ease and tucked them into the vinyl sleeves of the holster. She stuffed the extra magazines into the empty outer pocket of the backpack. Next, she threw the jacket over the holster, charily tucking the guns out of view, and grabbed a cap off the closet shelf. She shoved her loose hair under the cap's disguise and then, slipped her arms through the pack's straps. Her hands only began to shake when she pulled a folded envelope from the back pocket of her jeans.

She drifted to the coffee table, staring down at the three words scribbled on the front of the white envelope. For a moment, it appeared as if she was reconsidering her decision. The clash of emotions was evident in her gaze. Desolately, she placed the envelope face up on the coffee table. She didn't say a word or took a backwards glance as she stepped over Lita's unconscious form. She scooped up Serena's keys to the jeep on the wall and exited the house. The door closed gently behind her.

The black letters on her envelop waited patiently to be read: _'I'm Sorry. Ami.'_

* * *

**_A/N: Did anyone see that coming? I hope I didn't make it too apparent. I wanted it to be a real shocker. So what's the verdict of this twist? Hate it? Love it? What do you think happens next? Come on press that little button at the bottom of the screen and tell me!  
_**


	23. Suicide Letter

* * *

**_A/N: I'm amazed I got this chapter done so fast. I had wanted to get it done before I go in for some minor surgery tomorrow and somehow I did it. Awesome. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out soon, but I have to start training as a bartender so I'm going to be studying a lot. Next chapter might not come out for a few weeks. Hope this will tide you over until then. _**

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 23: Suicide Letter_

* * *

Ami dialed the number with an empty head swirling. She had no idea what she would say. She had thought of a thousand opening lines, but every one was abandoned for being too fake. There was no logical answer in her brain for the rapidly approaching dilemma. She pressed the phone to her ear and busied herself by staring out the dirty phone booth glass. She ignored the curse words and racy notes written throughout the small box, and observed the people walking the busy streets outside her small enclosure. Anger churned in her stomach as she watched the random faces pass. She saw a wide range of emotions wash through the crowd. She saw a man, red in the face, yelling for a cab. She saw a couple arguing and kids laughing. She saw eyes widened, teeth grin, shoulders tense, hair flutter. It all looked so out of place. It looked like some movie on television and no longer everyday life. Blood racing and heart sinking, she felt like she was standing in a different realm in the little glass chamber. It was as if she was staring out at a shell of a memory or at a wish that never could be again.

_Ring._

The phone booth was abnormally hot for such a cold day. Snow fluttered down, but she wanted to pull off her jacket. She knew, however, that she could expose the guns she was wearing underneath.

_Ring._

She watched a man slow to a stop beside Serena's jeep, eyeing the upholstery. She laughed inwardly at the prospect of having the car stolen in front of her. The man looked around and upon seeing her stony glare, quickly moved on down the sidewalk.

_Ring._

She checked her watch. It had been nearly thirty minutes since she had left the house. She had to make sure her conversation didn't go over five minutes. She couldn't risk being traced. She honestly shouldn't be calling, but her heart wouldn't let her pass up this opportunity.

_Ring._

Maybe she wouldn't pick up—

_"Hello?"_

Ami's mouth dropped open. Her mind struggled for an answer to the very easy question. She had been distracted and forgotten to think of a proper greeting.

_"Hello?"_

She closed her mouth, and tried again to speak, but her mind was horribly void.

_"I'm hanging up."_

Ami's eyes screwed close as she let out a choked whisper, "Hey, mom."

There was hanging moment of silence that made Ami think perhaps she had spoken too late and her mom had already hung up the phone. The thought was both agonizing and comforting. She wanted to speak with her so desperately, but she was afraid of what their conversation would do to her tender hearted mother.

_"…Ami?"_ Her name shook across the line.

A lone tear slipped down the girl's face. "How are you, mom?"

_"Is that really you, sweetheart?"_ Her mother had gotten louder.

She was almost too overcome by the weight pressing against her heart to answer. "Yea, it's your little girl, mom. I'm here."

_"Oh my…Are you okay, darling? Where are you?"_

Ami instinctively studied her location, reading the street signs. "I can't tell you that, mom. It's too dangerous for you, and me."

A momentary pause. _"You're still in hiding?"_

Ami couldn't think much beyond the soothing sound of her mother's voice. It had been too long since she had last spoken to her, and normally they spoke three times a week. Her mother's words were quickly reminded her of everything she had lost months ago, and her breathing hitched. "Mom, I don't have much time. It's possible someone is tracing your phone, but I-I wanted to talk to y-you."

Tears clogged her throat as she tried to gain back the strength in her voice.

_"Are you okay?"_

"I'm fine," she gasped, more tears racing down her face. "I j-just miss you. S-So much…"

_"Shouldn't you come home, darling? We could call the police—"_

Ami glanced at her watch. She had only three minutes left.

"Mom, I want you to know that you mean the world to me. You've done so much to make me happy. I know I've already told you this a bunch of times, but I really want to say it again. I love you."

_"…Ami, you're scaring me."_

"I don't know if I'll be able to come back, Mom. I want to, but there are these scientists who have found out about me and the girls."

_"Oh my god." _She could hear her mother trying to hold back her sobs. Her mother's worst fear had come true. She had always dreamed of scientists coming to her home and ripping her daughter out of her little bed.

"I-I'm sorry, but I have to try and stop them. I have to do it to protect everyone."

_"Ami, please, don't be the hero —"_

She checked her watch, again. One minute left. "I don't think I'm coming back, mom. I wish I could give you one last hug, but I don't have anymore time."

_"Ami, tell me where you are. I'll send the police."_

"The police can't stop these people. These scientists are like us. They have special powers." Thirty seconds. She braced her arms against the metal phone box. Her heart was threatening to give out as she heard her mom crying openly into the receiver. She wanted to run straight back to her mom's house and wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist. "Mom, I'm sorry I've brought so much pain into your life. I love you."

_"I love you, too, darling, but please—"_

Ami hastily hung the phone up. She instantly hunched over the box, pressing her teary face into her arm. She had thought leaving her friends at the safe house would be the hardest thing she had ever done, but she was sorely mistaken. She wondered if calling her mother one last time had been a good choice. Wouldn't it have been better to leave her mother in the dark about the danger she was heading into? Maybe it was her own selfish desire that had rationalized her call. She told herself that her mother needed to know what happened to her daughter. She needed to know her daughter had charged into the lion's mouth out of own choice and that her daughter loved her immensely.

_'I'm so sorry I made your life so painful.'_

* * *

Zoisite blinked. Slowly the room came back into focus. He was lying on the living room floor. He couldn't recall how he had gotten there. Had he fallen off the sofa in his sleep? His hand swept across the rug, pushing up his shoulders. Zoisite swallowed and realized his mouth felt like cotton. As he sat up, his eyes took in the scene of his comrades sprawled across the floor and chairs. His body woke almost instantaneously. He remembered the drugs hitting his blood streams, the crashing plate, and Ami's sorrowful eyes. She had drugged them.

_'Why—'_ The question roared through his mind, but he didn't need to ask the question. He had a good guess why she had done it. He simply couldn't believe she would go through with something so diabolical. He hastily went to the nearest person's side. Reaching Mina, he pushed back her long hair and checked her pulse. It was slow, but steady. His eyes lifted and spotted the white envelope waiting on the coffee table. Completely forgetting about the rest of his comrades, he snatched up the letter and ripped back the flap. The tattered envelope fluttered to the floor, the words across its front barely registering. He frantically scanned the two page letter, his stomach dropping further with each word. Cursing loudly, he threw down the paper and ran towards the door. He didn't bother writing a note for the others. He would call Artemis' cell phone once he got in the car and leave a message on its voice mail about his whereabouts. The point was that he didn't have time to find a pen or write a long enough explanation.

_'You stupid, self-righteous, foolish, reckless girl!'_

* * *

_**-Ami's letter-**_

_**Dearest friends, **_

_**By the time you read this letter, it will be around three hours since I have left. By then the sedative will have been extracted from your bloodstream through the natural order of your bodies' inner functions. At least, I think that's how long it should take according to my calculations and the amount of sedatives I slipped into your breakfast. There is also the chance that Zoisite will be missing by the time you wake up because his gift will have removed the sedative faster than your own bodies and he would have already read this letter. He will already be on his way to stop me, but he will likely be too late. If I had been more of a risk taker, I might have given him a higher dose of the sedative to prolong him, but I didn't want to risk his life in case I was wrong and his gift didn't react like I thought it would. **_

_**Getting back to the point, I want to apologize for doing this. I know you are all flabbergasted what I've done. I can scarce believe I'm doing it myself. It took everything in me to hand you breakfast without confessing my horrible sin. I've wanted to confess to you my plans all week long, but I knew I could not for the sake of your lives.**_

_**Let me assure you I have my reasons for doing this horrible betrayal and that I am not going mad. Last week, I discovered something that startled me so badly I didn't know what to do. I have come to knowledge that I am not the true Moon Princess as everyone has accepted so willingly. I found out when General Nephrite attacked me. When we were struggling against the general, Serena and I ran into the forest together. I was shot, as we know, and Serena released an amazing amount of power out of emotional distress and desperation. I have come to realize that whenever one of us releases a huge flare of power, our planetary symbol shines upon our brow. Serena was the only one whose symbol I had failed to see up until that moment. To my shock I saw the same crescent moon on Luna, Artemis, and Diana's brow. **_

_**There is little room to doubt what that moon on her brow means, but if you unsure let me assure you that there is another piece of proof regarding her identity. A month ago I ran across a library book that depicted our past lives like an old fairytale. Yes, I know it's a children's story, but there was something strange about the book. It discussed nine princesses in the heavens who were supposed to protect a sacred crystal. The details were too much to ignore. They, too, pointed to Serena as the true Moon Princess. **_

_**My last piece of evidence is the realistic dreams I have been enduring since my rescue from the NVerse's labs. For months, I have been having dreams of a throne room, of us girls training, of war, and of death. These dreams, I have come to accept, are memories from our past lives. Why I have been graced with them instead of any of you I do not know. Even so, those dreams have finally revealed to me, nights ago, that I was one of the Senshi chosen to protect our princess and not the one needed to be protected. I was always a princess, but I was not THE Moon Princess. **_

_**This means that the NVerse's assumptions are wrong. I am not the one they want. It's Serena. She is the wielder of the Silver Crystal, not me. If the NVerse should ever find out the truth, we are all in grave danger. I am still unsure if this crystal even exist, but I do not doubt the NVerse will stop still they prove it does. In doing so they will mutilate anyone who they believe holds the crystal. They have already come very close to recapturing me and I can only imagine them doubling their efforts once they find out Serena holds the Silver Crystal. **_

_**Thus, I made a choice. I know it is reckless, but it might be our only chance. I have gone alone to the NVerse base. My first priority is to free the girls. My second is to destroy the base with their leader and champion. It will be very difficult, but I will be able to hide better than an entire group. Plus with my hacking skills, I'm hoping to bypass a lot of security. My last trump card is Zoisite's last two stones which I stole last night. I'm going to rely on the stones ability to momentarily disorient the last two generals and pray they will awaken to their pasts. **_

_**I know that nothing I say will stop you from coming to rescue me, but I beg you to listen. Do not come after me. I'm prepared to kill myself if it means saving you and the crystal from the NVerse. I know my declaration will only urge you to come rescue me, but know that it is likely I have already died and have sent Amara and the others in your direction. **_

_**Please, run away in case I have failed. If I am unable to destroy the base, I will take my life to fool the NVerse into believing they have lost their chance to take the Crystal. It is the only way I can see us protecting it. **_

_**I was meant to be the Shield for the Moon Princess and the Silver Crystal. I was to be the last protection. My dreams have told me this and I know now I was meant for this mission. This is my duty and my honor. **_

_**I'm sorry I could not offer a proper goodbye. I'm sorry to have caused you pain by tainting your food and running into the fight without you. I know you want to be with me, to help and protect me. But we would never have succeeded if we had gone together. **_

_**To Mina, I thank you for your endless attention to pull me out of my shyness.**_

_**To Rei, I thank you for your snappy protectiveness when people were mean to me.**_

_**To Lita, I thank you for your warm cookies when I had bad days.**_

_**To Serena, I thank you for taking me out of the darkness when I was so alone. **_

_**To Zoisite, I thank you for loving someone who has been horribly cold. **_

_**To Luna, Artemis, and Diana, I thank you for taking us in and protecting us in this dangerous, lonely time. **_

_**I love you. **_

_**Your Beloved, **_

_**Ami**_

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Ami found the car slowly rising up the side a mountain. With the heavenly rays of gold slipping through the cloud cover, Ami beheld a enchanting view of a city tucked away in a valley of peaks. She pulled off onto the side of the road and stepped out to get a better view. She knew the city was the one she had been striving to get to for the last hour. Her eyes widened as she spotted singular building jutting out of a crowd of roofs. It still far, but the building looked much like the white tower of a fairytale castle.

She was surprised to say the least as she studied the comfortable position of the corporation's home. The geographical location was significantly separated from the rest of the world. From the looks of the wide skyscraper jutting out of the crowd of short buildings, the corporation was doing well despite its separation from economic and industrial backing. Perhaps, the corporation had isolated itself to escape the eyes of larger cities.

She reluctantly returned to the car and raced down to the city. She wasted no time in finding a full lot to dump the car. Doing her best to act normal, she began to head down the street. She had gained the corporation address from the blueprints and had masterfully searched online for directions. She had spent the week not only learning the blueprints, but the city map as well. Ami made her way through the mundane city, under the cover of her ball cap and jean jacket. She was easily ignored by the passing pedestrians as they tried to escape the cold weather. They were too busy hastening to their own personal destination to give her a second glance. Even so, she kept her head down, hands in her pocket, and collar up. She prayed she looked like someone who was only trying to hide from the cold.

As she walked down the long path, her heart grew smaller. She could sense the end of her path growing neared and she knew it was only a matter of time before she went into the lion's den. She had to force her legs to swing forward. The air swept through her clothes, chilling her down to the bone. She tried to ignore the uncomfortable feelings and keep her mind blank. She didn't want to think too much at the moment. She didn't want to rationalize turning back. It would be too easy to turn around. She ignored the dark air of the city and how the people's faces all seemed drawn in despair. She didn't want to give the city any more of a foreboding look in her mind.

It was fortunate than that her destination appeared sooner than expected. She blinked rapidly upon seeing the tall building, a little surprised by its sudden appearance. She had thought she still had another two blocks to walk. Getting behind a nearby building, Ami stood at the edge of the wall and peeked around the corner. Her blue eyes scrutinized the main entrance of the large corporation. There was a glass revolving door with two faceless figures made out of concrete guarding the door. There was barely any greenery to spruce up the gloomy doorway. She didn't see any cameras, but she didn't doubt their presence. Over the glass entrance was an ebony circle with the hefty letters "NV" inside the center. The letters were slanted dramatically and the top of the figures crossed like a pair of hands clutched together. She had never seen the logo before and was relieved she hadn't. She didn't like the idea of the NVerse being a part of everyday life. Her eyes searched beyond the glass and she could vaguely make out a circulation desk and several dark figures. Outside the entrance was basically deserted except for a handful of random business suits heading in or out of the revolving doors. It might as well have been the draw bridge for a stone castle.

_'Definitely can't use this for an entrance. Artemis was right.'_

The edifice was mainly a fat cylinder shape that towered twelve stories over a thirty acre green landscape. The enormous yard was odd for a city, but it was a fairly vacant plane of grass dotted by a handful of bushes. Several other buildings, identically shaped though a fraction in size, also connected to the large circular tower. Their short frames reached desperately for the head of the tower, but they failed miserably to stand up to the standards of the parental edifice. Their pale roofs would slant into the tower, blending together like the hump of wave rolling across the ocean. They looked like children holding up their arms to be held by their mother, or perhaps, they were more like soldiers surrounding a general.

Ami narrowed her gaze when she noticed slight indentions racing across the skin of the concrete. The indentions were thin ribbons, bulging out of the concrete and wrapping around the circumferences of the tower's mass. It reminded her of fingers clenching around a staff. The fingertips of the hands pressed into the front of the entrance, looking as if the hand was ripping open a pathway to visitors. The bulge made the building appear swelling in power, desperate to break free of its confines. The entrance looked even more discouraging.

Ami shifted uneasily as her eyes unconsciously traveled up the main tower. She could only imagine what lied at the top floor. Artemis had believed the girls were being held captive on the top floor, but Ami disagreed. Why keep a prison on the level that would hold the most spectacular view of the valley? Her own imagination kept bringing to mind a huge conference room with a long table of dark business suits and calculating eyes. It was almost comical. The imagery was definitely influenced by her movies about the vicious politics of Wall Street. She inwardly laughed at the connection.

Reexamining the entrance, Ami could only admit that there was no way she could make it through the front door. She could possibly slip by, but she would raise the alarm before she got far. She definitely needed time to find the girls so she needed to hold off the alarm as long as she was able. She knew she would be discovered eventually, but for now, she needed a hole in the wall. She needed to be a mouse.

Somewhat reluctantly, she left the main entrance and circled around the surrounding buildings to a nearby parking garage. There were two main gates into the private parking area, both guarded by armed security men. Another dead end for her.

The guards were new to the garage. Before people entered the parking gates through electronic key cards only issued to high ranking employees. After one of Artemis' recent visits, they had placed guards at the gates. Artemis must have gotten hold of a card to cause the corporation to station guards.

She circled again, passed three different businesses, and made her way down an alley to the side of a wire fence guarding the backs of the brotherhood of buildings. She squinted and saw a sliding back gate five hundred yards. Beside the truck entrance, there was a thin booth used for a security post. An unmarked delivery truck unexpectantly pulled out from behind the base and made for the gate. The white vehicle rolled merrily across the long stretch of concrete, wholly visible against the empty yard. Next, a man wearing tight black gear exit the booth and pulled open the wire fence for the vehicle. While the truck waited for the way to be open, Ami's eyes scanned the length of fence closest to her.

She calmly went over Artemis's previous words. _'We were able to do it before because we didn't have your hacking skills, Ami, but our best chance of getting into the base is one of the back doors where the delivery trucks enter. There's a docking garage in the back and several rarely, used doors. We can use cutters to get through the wire fence, and once the guard is distracted, we can run for the nearest door. Ami can bypass the keypad that locks it.'_

Ami spotted a sliding panel wide enough for semi-trucks to enter side by side. She quickly deemed the steel panel led to the depository for the delivery trucks. There would be dozen of people and possibly no where for her to hide. About thirty feet to the left of the steel panel, a door with a heavy keypad waited. There didn't appear to be any security cameras around. She smiled at her hole in the wall.

Her eyes went back to the security post and saw the truck was passing through the gateway. She hastily pushed off the side of the alleyway and dashed across the two lane asphalt. Reaching the NVerse's fence, she dropped to her knees and began ripping through the inside of her pack. In seconds, her hand encircled the plastic handle of her large wire cutters. She grimaced as she fought desperately to cut through the thick wire. By the time she had made a large enough cut to push through, the guard was already pushing the gate back into place and the truck was driving down the street. Ami pushed off the ground and bolted back to her previous hiding spot in the shadow of the alley.

Her chest heaved from the short run and her building nerves. Her breathing didn't slow down until the truck had passed her hiding spot. She swallowed and peeked again around the edge of the building. The guard has returned to his booth. Through the windows, she saw the guard looking down at something. She glanced back at the fence and gauged the distance between the fence and the door. _'That's at least thirty yards. I need fifteen seconds to get all the way over there. Then maybe a full minute to break the security code.'_

She looked back at the post and bit down on her lip. She sighed furiously as the guard lifted his eyes and scanned his surroundings for suspicious characters. She needed to wait for another truck to exit before she could try for the door.

Ami checked her watch. _'It's been an hour since I left them. So that's two hours left.'_

Ami dug through her pack as she went back to watching the sliding steel door. Finding her four-by-eight compact computer from her bag, she shoved the handheld computer into her back pocket in preparation for her mad dash. She couldn't waste time looking for it once she made it onto the property. She danced on the balls of her feet, anxious. With each passing minute that failed to produce a delivery vehicle, Ami began to doubt whether she should wait for the guard to be distracted. She didn't have time to wait for a stupid truck. It could take hours before she found one of the girls. By then, Serena and the others would have woken up from the sedatives, read her letter, and be on their way. Ami could add forty-five minutes to her time frame since that's how long the drive would be for the girls, but she was fearful of pushing the clock. She didn't want the girls to be on the doorstep of the base when she—

The steel door abruptly groaned open. Ami hastily tensed as she watched the white vehicle roll out of the entrance's mouth. She braced her hand against the wall, hearting leaping into her throat. _'This is it.'_

The guard trotted out of the security post, waving at the truck driver. He reached for the gate. Ami waited till his entire back was turned before she lurched forward. Her sneakers slapped loudly in her ears, but she knew the noise would never reach the guard. She pumped her legs, eyes set on the slanted cut in the fence. It didn't take long for her to reach the property. Ignoring the scrap of the cut wire, she forced her body and pack through the security fence. Her pack snagged a few times, but the problem was quickly fixed with a hard shove. The moment she sprawled out onto the grass across the forbidden side of the fence, she felt her heart drop to her toes. She tried forced her mind to work instead on getting her legs to move faster.

Racing forward, she grappled for the computer tucked in jeans. Her nerves were so wound up, she nearly dropped the compact. Reaching the door, she momentarily studied the door's keypad. It was not a very intimidating barrier in her eyes. It had the ten-staple digits (0-9) and a panel for sliding key cards. It required a card and key code. Ami hastily flipped over her computer and open a slim compartment on the bottom panel. Hiding in a protective slot was an outdated credit card with a flat, lengthy metallic strip connecting to her computer. She had stolen the inventive idea from the hacker boy on Terminator 2. It was her inside joke that she stole outrageous ideas off movies.

She hastily shoved her card into key card slot on the keypad. Her computer and the keypad lit up simultaneously signally that they were compatible. She spun her computer back to its upright position and found her self-made software already kicking into gear. Grinning, she watched her software unravel the mathematical algorithm that would unlock the door. She didn't have to wait long before a window popped on her screen displaying the needed key code. She frantically punched in the numbers and waited. One heartbeat later, she heard the heavy lock pull open and the keypad flashed green. She grabbed the door handle and as she pushed her way in she took an anxious glance back over her shoulder. The security guard was pushing the gate close. His back was still to her.

Turning back around, she found the room she was walking into was pitched black. The sunlight rushed pass her and gave a small glimpse of an empty hallway of doors seconds before the door behind her closed and stole back the light. For a second, she stood frozen in the darkness.

* * *

She had a good head start on him. At least an hour.

He could drive as fast he could, but it wouldn't matter. She had to be in the base already. If she had followed Artemis's earlier suggestion, she would have entered through a back door with the keypad. That meant he couldn't follow her steps. He couldn't bypass the keypad like she could. He wasn't hacker. Thus, he would have to find another way into the base and try to find her inside. Problem was that the base was a complex maze and he couldn't be sure which direction she would pick. He would have to go in there blind and pray he found her before the NVerse Corp did. He knew his chances were slim.

_'If I was a little smaller in the shoulders I could open an air duct and crawl inside without being seen.' _

He pressed his foot harder against the pedal. His heart was hammering as the letter kept racing through his head. The notion that she was never the princess and Serena was had finally reached his brain ten minutes into the drive. He nearly had a heart attack when he thought of Serena being his true love instead of Ami. His heart had fought viciously against his ribcage, screaming at the top of its voice. _'No. There can't be any way that Serena is my beloved. It wasn't her that I have been dreaming about for the last two and half years. It's not her I'm in lo—'_

Zoisite froze when he considered his previous title and connection to the blue-haired woman. He was the Prince of Earth. That what they had thought. Why? Because he had dreamed of the princess? The assumption had been so easily accepted, but now he was beginning to regret it. He could already imagine what was going through Ami's head about him and Serena. But if Ami wasn't the princess, than who was he? Why was he dreaming of her? Why did he find those stones meant for the true prince?

* * *

_**-flashback-**_

_**Artemis nodded to the pair, "The NVerse has found the whereabouts of the Moon Princess. Supposedly a source knows of a girl who had a supernatural ability for water."**_

_**A photo was thrown onto the table top and slid across the surface. Zoisite stared down at it as it settled in front of him. It was a small 5-by-7 of a girl looking over her shoulder. She was smiling and staring off to the side, oblivious of the photo being taken of her. Zoisite's eyes widened as he recognized the girl's face. **_

_**"That's her…" he mumbled in shock. "That's the girl in my dreams."**_

_**Luna was astounded. "Really?"**_

_**Zoisite tenderly picked up the photo and brushed his finger along the contours of her angelic face. He was mesmerized by the picture. It was so perfect to the phantom girl. "That's her."**_

_**Luna swiveled around to her husband. "How do they know this girl is the princess?"**_

_**The man shook his head, "I wasn't able to hear the entire conversation, and the paperwork I copied doesn't say, but they are certain this girl is the key to the Silver Crystal. She has a gift that has convinced the NVerse. What more is there?"**_

_**"What about Serena?" Luna insisted. "The girl has a gift as well. A substantial gift—"**_

_**"But think dear," Artemis interrupted gently as he walked towards Zoisite. "This man has been dreaming of her. He's also the one who found the Stones of the Four Heavenly Kings. There are connections—"**_

_**"But no evidence," Luna retorted. "This could be all wrong. There has to be a way to prove she is the princess."**_

_**Artemis looked down to their quiet comrade. He could see the hope kindling in the man's green eyes. He was holding onto the photo as if it was the last thread of his life. In a way, she was his life for his dreams had led him to the catacombs in France and brought him to the grave of the ancient prince. He had lost everything by reaching out for an imaginary woman.**_

_**"Then, we must wait," Artemis replied softly. "If we keep an eye on both girls, something will turn up. You know as well as I that the Moon Princess will bear a mark to prove herself. Sooner or later we shall see her sign.."**_

_**Luna was uncertain. "What if the NVerse makes a move before we do?"**_

_**"We will have to pray that doesn't happen."**_

* * *

Zoisite swallowed desperately as he recalled the memory. His life had unraveled before his eyes. He had spent the last two years believing he was a fallen prince tied to a beautiful woman. He had left his job, his apartment, and all his friends for a fleeting dream. Now, he was barreling down the interstate, chasing after a dream, again.

"No, not a dream," he chided. _'She's real. She's here.'_

A fire kindled in his heart as he remembered her standing in the alley wearing that ridiculous mouse cap. She looked so innocent and vulnerable. He recalled the sound of her laugh as they talk about embarrassing moments. He remembered the image of the photo they took together. It wasn't a dream he was reliving. Those were memories.

Prince or not, she was still the one he loved. He would go to the ends of the earth if it meant he had a chance with her. He was not about to let go of her or let her do this alone.

* * *

It felt like every eye was upon her. She breathed and she thought an alarm would sound. The tiniest crease of her shoe squeaking against the tile floor was like dynamite exploding. She knew that only a door stood behind her, but a dark feeling crowded her back. She tried to remember the weight of her guns, to know she was prepared. It was hard, however, to press forward. To know she was alone and had no backup racing to her made her inadequacy suddenly so apparent.

Her back pressed harder against the door. She desperately wanted to be far away. She wanted to fling the door open and run back out into the sun. It was so cold in the hall. She could see her breath even in the darkness. Usually she would wrap herself in the cold and enjoy its frigid breath, but something crept into her skin and squeezed her bones. It was trying to suffocate her. Halfhearted, she pushed off the door and shook off the unsettling cloud that nipped at her. She marched through the dark corridor and began to inspect the line of rooms. Numbers marked the identity of each door, making her hope die. She would never find the girls if she had to sequentially search the rooms. Her prayers were soon answered as she spotted a sign on the side of the wall marked: _Stairs_. She flung open the door and found the darkness stretched even into the airy stairwell.

Ami stepped tentatively out onto the dim level, surprised that few lights were working. The shadowy contours of the stairwell made her heart flutter. She took slow, deep breaths as she walked towards the rail. Her hand wrapped around the metal bar, the cold seeping deeper into her pores. She peeked down into the depths of darkness that lied beneath her feet and wondered if a monster lied in wait below. Why was it so dark? Sure it was the basement, but why were the lights turned off? Was there nothing worthy to turn on the lights for?

_'Or it could be the prison cells…like the one I was kept in...Could they keep the lights out for the prisoners?' _Ami fought against the urge to turn back. She was still terrified of the darkness even months after her escape. When she had the girls sleeping around her, it wasn't as bad, but at the moment, going down the stairs was going back to time she traveled through the sewers to get back home. It was absolute torture.

_'Think of the girls,' _she insisted passionately. _'You need to do this or they die.'_

She clutched the bar tighter, and pushed her knees. A flashlight was pulled out of her bag, and with sluggish pace, she went down the long stairwell. As the darkness pressed tighter around her, she thought how the girls would be cracking jokes in such a tense moment. It was their way of relieving tension in scary situations. She had never been one to think of good jokes during times such as this so she was wishing that they were there to help her.

Each step she took didn't seem to get her closer to the bottom. Her flashlight kept skittering across the lower steps, expecting an end, but it didn't appear. She knew there were several floors into the ground, but she didn't remember exactly how many. She began to count each step as a way to keep her mind busy. The harder her brain worked, the less she thought about.

She had reached three-hundred-forty-five steps when Ami found the end to the mile long stairway. There was still a dozen stairs between her and the door, but it didn't matter. She could see a sliver of light crawling between the cracks of the doorframe. Hundreds of bad thoughts rushed through her mind as she wrapped her hand around the handle. She pressed her ear against the door and held in a deep breath. There was not a sound on the other side, but Ami was uncertain about opening it. She pulled up the blueprints in her head and tried to remember if the bottom floor had been mapped.

_'No, this is one of the blind spots on the map. They made it to the bottom floor before, but they hadn't gotten far. They had used a different staircase.'_

She pushed her flashlight back into her pack. Her free hand shakily reached under her jacket and gripped the warm handle of a gun. She exhaled slowly. This was when the danger got worse. She would have to be quick and quiet. Something slid down her face, alerting her. She pressed her fingers to her cheek and felt the wetness of tears.

She slid her eyes closed and envisioned each of her friends' faces. She then summoned up every fighting technique she learned during training. She scanned her memory of the maps as well. The haunting feeling of despair was settling into her heart, making it difficult to breathe. She realized the significance of opening the door. This would be the point of no return.

She gritted her teeth and yanked the knob to the side. Light flooded her eyes as she rushed out into the hall. She blinked rapidly as she threw her gun up and pointed threateningly at empty air. All her muscles were stretched taunt and the vein under her jaw jumped erratically. Adjusting to the light, Ami was relieved to see the hall was indeed empty. She let out a small rush of air and let her shoulder marginally relax. The gun, nevertheless, didn't lower an inch. She didn't dare drop her guard.

The hall was fairly short, but several corridors connected to it, expanding the array of plain white doors. She eyed the nearest room, reading the black plate that identified what lied behind the door. _'Chemical Analysis Lab 3.'_

She discarded the room. What she needed to look for was a holding cell. Chances were high that was where the girls were. That was unless they were suffering experiments. Ami shuddered at the memories of those awful labs. She carefully started forward, scanning each door's plate. _'Chemical Analysis Lab 1. Data Research 2. Hydraulics Room. Electrical Stimulus Room.'_

She ignored the chill that ran up her spine when she read the last plate. She had a good idea what was on the other side of the door, but she didn't think on it. She instead crept to the edge of a next corridor. She pressed her shoulder against the wall and gradually peeked around the corner. Her heart jumped into her throat when she spotted three men heading in her direction. She hastily flung herself back, clutching the gun. She was lucky their heads had been turned away in conversation and had failed to spot her head poking out into the hall.

_'Already? I had hoped this level would be more deserted since its so deep underground. Darn my luck.'_

Her finger tightened on the trigger as she considered her options. She could either face them or duck into a room. She immediately decided on the second option. The less confrontation the better her chances were in making headway through the array of halls and rooms. Ami began to head for the nearest room when she heard their footsteps quicken.

"I think I saw someone."

So she didn't go unnoticed. She cursed inwardly and drove a hand into her jean pocket. The men ripped around the corner just as her hand flew out into the air. A pair of glass vials flew from her hand and spun towards the men. An ounce of water rolled inside the glass stomachs. Time slowed down and Ami saw the men were dressed in heavily padded outfits with a white emblem stitched to the chest. She didn't need to read the patch to know she was dealing with security. The guns strapped at their sides told her enough. They looked every bit like soldiers.

With a shout, her vials burst and the water plus glass sprayed directly into the men's unguarded faces. As an added bonus, she flash froze the water spray as it connected with their eyes. Their horrible, gut wrenching cries echo down the corridor to her immense displeasure.

_'I'm about to get a welcoming party if I don't hurry!' _She rushed forward and planted her knee into the nearest man's stomach. As he started to go down, she spun on her heel and knocked the legs out from under the next man. His weight was a little much for her petite frame so she stumbled to her knees from the blow. Throwing her face back up, she launched off the floor and heaved all her strength into an uppercut for the last solider. The cloud of groans settled gradually as the men collapsed and twisted onto the floor.

Her ears sounded muffle with cotton as she stared at their whimpering forms. She swallowed down a lump. With determined strides, she walked to one of the soldiers and produced a needle from her pack. Without a hint of hesitation, she stabbed the man in the arm and pumped the sedative into his bloodstream. He cried out at first, but his voice soon faded in his throat. She made quick work to do the same process to the other fallen men.

Her chest heaved with adrenaline as the bodies became motionless. She didn't have enough time to hide the bodies, but she knew she would have even less time if she left the bodies to be discovered. _'They'll be on high alert in minutes.'_

Biting her lip, she gauged one of the men's weight. She highly doubted she could carry the man back to the dark stairwell. She gripped the nearest one's arm and tried to drag him. Her mood darkened when he barely budged. Releasing him, she concluded she wouldn't be able to hide them. Abandoning the unconscious soldiers, she crept back to the edge of the corridor and checked for an approaching cavalry. She was shocked to see an empty hall.

_'Surely, they should have heard them scream. Is there really no one on this floor besides these guys?'_ The darkness from earlier pressed down again on her shoulders. She struggled to stay calm as her gut twisted. She glanced back down at the unconscious men. _'I have to keep moving. There's nothing more to be done.'_

Regretfully, she headed down the hall, muscles tensing and gun high. Her ears were kept open for the slightest sound as she resumed to scanning the doors' plates. She is completely aware of the ticking seconds as she moves further away from the men lying back in the main hall. _'The bottom floor is a good starting point to search for the girls, I know that, but there has to be something else to go on. I'll never find them like this.'_

The hall turned left and she grudgingly followed its path. Her heart pounded louder as her throat became dry. She felt the water in the air viciously churning in rhythm to her erratic nerves. Each stretch of wall looked overpowering. She could almost feel the walls closing in on her.

"Spiritual Connection," she gasped abruptly. Her mind flipped back to her first meeting with Luna.

* * *

_**-flashback-**_

_**"How do we know of you? When we woke from our frozen status, we remembered our duty to the throne and began to search you all out. It took us some time to acquaint ourselves with the time's new culture, but we were able to slip in without raising any suspicion. We were very lucky in our search. Our souls were spiritual connected to each of you so we were able to follow the binding and eventually closed in on your location. Otherwise, we don't know how we would have found you. It's a big planet."**_

_**"Spiritual connection?" Ami voiced unevenly.**_

_**"Spiritual connection is something that even our time period thought was farce," Artemis laughed. His blue eyes danced as he gushed with pride. He would have loved to show the nonbelievers of his time as he had effectively returned to the Senshi. "What a spiritual connection is believed to be is a link created between close individuals in previous lives. It is believed to be a bond so strong that it goes beyond death and pass through lifelines. It reunites souls as they leapfrog through time. People believed that no matter how their soul is reborn a strong spiritual connection would always reunite two souls again."**_

_**Reuniting souls.**_

* * *

_'Is it so simple? Could I find them according to my instincts?' _Hope stirred in her bosom as she stared down another row of identical looking doors. Her bones creaked beneath her tight muscles, a definite sign of her wariness. She slowly spun in a circle. Her gift stretched out across the floor, reaching, seeking. She closed her eyes and pictured the girls' faces. She carefully went over the details of teal, curly hair, a notable scowl, and all-knowing eyes.

There was a stir in the air. She jolted at the tiny brush on her sixth-sense. Unconsciously, she turned in its direction. Her hand drew towards it, trying to feel it, again. It had felt like a current crashing against a rock in a river. The small disruption was loud to her though it was minuscule. She pushed her gift further out, strengthening the pulse she sent.

There was another stir and she quickly latched a hold onto it. She felt something form in her grip. She was clutching a rope or strand of sorts. Tugging on it, she felt it grow tighter. Her feet went into a solid stance, and upon opening her eyes, she saw she had turned slightly left. Staring down the corridor, she saw the opening of a hall on her left. With barely restrained eagerness, she raced for it.

She only heard the footsteps seconds before she reached the corner. She slid to halt, but it was too late. A man in black attire rounded on her. Her heart flew up into her head as she came inches from his equally startled face. She backpedaled, the gun leaping upwards. On pure reflex, she pulled the trigger.

Both she and the man flinched when they heard the gun click. Her arm remained outstretched and taunt as she held the unfired weapon. Confused, she pulled the trigger a second time. Another useless click. She studied the gun, lost. Her blue eyes widened before she nervously laughed at the man's thoughtful expression. "I forgot the safety."

His gaze turned deadly and Ami immediately threw out an open palm. A blast of snow blew directly into his face, knocking him back several feet. She hastily took the diversion to work the safety off the gun. She didn't want to kill the man, but she also didn't want to waste time later. When she looked up, she saw the man had shook off her blast of snow and was grappling for something at his shoulder.

"Code 56. I've got a twenty-something-year-old female on level—"

Ami immediately called out to the water in the air and threw the droplets into the tiny crevices of the walkie-talkie which was strapped to the man's shoulder pad. The device sparked once the water hit its circuits, and soon the radio cut out. She was already charging him by the time he had realized what she had done. When she was short foot away, he took his turn and threw out his own hand. Something in the air bent drastically and she saw a flash of purplish-black streak towards her. There was no room and no time to dodge. The thin veil rammed into her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. She felt her feet lift off the floor. Her back hit the floor hard, and the smooth surface made her slid backwards a few yards.

A loud alarm began to blare overhead and the lights began to blink red. Coughing, Ami watched the man strut forward. She sucked in a large breath of air. _'They have gifts, too. Luna said they would.'_

His hand went to his side. The gun came into view as he snapped off the leather strap holding his weapon in place. Ami's eyes dropped to the gray tile floor and a patch of ice extended out across his path. The guard was unprepared as his slick boots slid on the slippery patch. He didn't fall, but he did struggle to stay on his feet. Fortunately, it gave her enough time to shakily rise. When his stance settled, she was ready, again.

She threw a punch straight at his chin. The punch never hit. The guard easily knocked her hand aside. She quickly shifted her momentum at the same time he did. She stumbled forward and whirled back, aiming the butt end of her gun at his temple. His forearm went up and blocked her. Ami clamped her teeth together as the blow of their limbs connecting sent a painful shockwave down her skeleton. She fumbled backwards, clutching her arm to her chest. There was movement below and she instinctively jumped forward. Her knee bent upwards. She aimed for his chest exactly how Lita had instructed her. She felt another bend in the air seconds before the dark flash. Ami collided with the floor, again.

She gasped and turned onto her shoulder. Blood dripped from her nose, spotting the unblemished square tile. Her eyes rolled upwards as the man came to tower over her. His gun barrel came into focus. She couldn't understand it. She was better than this. She had to be. The man was only a soldier and she was being outmaneuvered. Were the NVerse's soldiers really this difficult?

"Stand up." His command was cold and unyielding. He shook his gun to emphasize her precarious position. "Stand up!"

Her eyes refocused on his gun. She worked frantically to press the water down the mouth of the barrel. There was surge in the air as the tiny molecules piled up into the gun's mouth. With each centimeter, she flashed froze the water. By the time, the ice began to fog up the shiny steel on outside of his weapon and alerted the man, she had already plugged his gun with two inches of ice. Ami forced the ice to travel further down into the mechanics, locking up the trigger, seconds before he pulled it. He cursed a foul word and yanked hard on the gun.

_'Round two.' _Ami got her hand under her body and launched again at the man. The gun was heavy in her hand as she lifted it at the guard. Time slowed once more as he pulled back. Her other hand rose parallel to the barrel and suddenly there was a second of decision. The man had already knocked her down twice. The alarm was raised and she had not the time to draw out the fight. The decision was quick and honestly painless to make though she knew the consequences would be quite the opposite. Ami tried to aim her gun, but everything was moving around and time was rushing pass. She was caught into the rush of time's river. The shot was fired blindly, but with every bit of prayer urging its aim.

There wasn't a safety stopping the bullet. There wasn't a useless, soft click resounding. There was a loud crack of thunder. There was a cloud of gun smoke. More importantly, there was a cry of pain and spray of red.

The man sunk boneless to the gray floor. Ami stumbled to onto her feet and halted over his shivering form. She silently watched the blood flow out down his shoulder. He rolled to his side, his frozen gun slipping from his weak fingers. She couldn't move as she saw the fear and pain settle in his bright eyes. She had barely missed his lung.

His ragged breathing filled her ears. She blinked as waves of tears poured down her cheeks. The blood drained out of her head as the world spun out of control. Sinking to her knees, she planted both palms against the floor. They splashed in the dark red smear on the floor and her stomach heaved. It was an instantaneous reaction. She vomited all over the patch of floor.

She sensed him squirming beside her. She spat the remains of bile onto the floor, desperately trying to remove the awful taste in her mouth.

She couldn't believe how close she had come to killing the man. Her eyes screwed shut as the image of blood spraying repeated in her head. _'I can't do this. I'm not strong enough.'_

"You b—"

She knocked his hand away when he reached for her. Finding her needle again, she pumped the last of sedatives in the needle into his arm. His hand gripped her shoulder, trying to stop her, but his grip gradually weakened. She watched numbly as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and fell limp against the tile.

There was no air in her lungs. She gulped desperately as she tried to slow her racing heart. Again her eyes squeezed shut. _'I can't do this. I c-can't.'_

* * *

**_A/N: I hope this chapter didn't lack too much excitement. I was kinda unsure if I should end it like this, but I wanted to show off Ami having difficulty dealing with her decision. I didn't want to appear so cold in her decision to leave the group. Plus, I wanted to reconnect Zoisite to his status as prince. Very important. Next chapter will open the stage for the generals and the girls' escape. I can't wait. :)  
_**


	24. Labyrinth Reloaded

_**A/N: Girl finishes typing last of chapter. Refuses to glance at bartending material as she uploads the sixteen page chapter. She inwardly promises to get started once she had finished. "Hey, I don't start training for another week. I just had surgery. Give me a break. You know you wanted this anyway."**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 24: Labyrinth Reloaded_

* * *

Courage had never been elusive to her. It had always been a torch in her chest, igniting with the approach of a new challenge. She had been fortunate enough to be blessed at early childhood with its strength. She was doubly blessed when she had progressed into earlier adulthood and the attribute had not forsaken her. In high school, she had been in desperate need of its support after all the ominous missions she had worked. Kids her age would have barely withstood the fright of two missions, let alone the hundreds she had completed.

At any rate, she was kneeling in the moisture of her own vomit and the guard's blood unable to remember the fortitude. The cold sensation running down her spine was startling. It was only natural her courage would waver during this trying day, but she had not expected her torch to snuff out. She tried to call back her resolve and lift out of her warm bile, but her arms shivered under her weight. Ami sucked in a gulp of air, trying to pull strength out of the oxygen.

The red flashes overhead urged her to get up off the floor. Precious time had disappeared while she had cowered. The simple act of moving back to her feet was unfortunately beyond her. To stand, she needed to regain the stability of her wild emotions and that required the attribute she presently lacked.

_'Is this a line I must cross to save them?'_

Her courage wavered the second she considered firing the gun again. She had come dangerously close to the place no one could escape. If her aim had been two inches lower, she would have been a murderer. She would have become more than the heartless girl she was rumored to be in college. When she had stolen Zoisite's guns from his duffel, she thought she was prepared to cross that line for her friends. She had known there wasn't enough sedative to spare every person she confronted. She was equally convinced that her gift wouldn't be enough to make up the difference. Whether her courage would hold against the onslaught or not, she must fire the gun.

Amazingly, her next attempt to rise from the floor did not fail. She was able to get halfway up before her muscles began to give out. Her hand smeared mixed colors across the wall as she pressed against it for support. Breathing unevenly, she fought to regain her equilibrium. Once the world stopped spinning, she carefully leaned forward and swept up her gun. She inhaled deeply and pushed away from the wall. She headed straight for the corridor the guard had race out. Her steps were disoriented. More than once she stumbled on the toe of her shoe, but progressively, her strides steadied. Her fingers unconsciously trailed down the wall, extending her self-made paint.

When she approached the edge of the new corridor, she pushed her gift out from her body, probing for the spiritual trail. The air stirred upon her ghostly touch. Her gift brushed the edge of the strand before wrapping a vice grip around it. Snapping her eyes open, she hastily followed the spiritual connection.

After she had passed a dozen rooms, she became staggered. No doors flew opened to reveal fast approaching security. By now an entire army should be rallying against her. Surely, there were more than four guards on the bottom level.

Unexpectedly, the spiritual strand tugged. Her blue eyes swiveled left and found one of the many plain, white doors staring back at her. The dark plate read, to her immense displeasure: _Surgery_.

Unbidden images raced through her head, filling her with terror. She reached for the doorknob, ignoring her conscience's clear warning. The door shove opened while her gun swung up, making the act of barging into dangerous rooms look practiced. The stony facial expression of a police officer, however, vanished when her eyes saw the sickly child strapped to the operation table. "Hotaru?"

There was movement in the corner. Ami swung her gun to the side and saw a woman in a clean surgical outfit. Her mask was down revealing a heart shaped mouth and orange hair trailing her. An explosion of whirling snow crashed into the surgeon's face, earning a high-pitched cry.

Someone brusquely came up behind the intern and wrapped her into a headlock. Ami clawed at the forearm under her chin. Whoever clutched her pulled up to their full height and yanked the intern's feet several inches off the floor. Grunting, Ami curled her abs. The female surgeon was struggling to her knees when Ami thrust her heels into the woman's face. Ami was satisfied to hear bone crack. The surgeon flew backwards and blood poured from her broken nose.

Ami switched gears and rammed the barrel of her gun into her captor's thigh. She shot two bullets into the muscles, earning her second cry of pain. The grip around her neck faltered and Ami dropped to the floor. Rolling forward, she placed some distance between her and her captor. She hurried and twisted towards her opponent.

The second surgeon was clutching his leg, pressing a hand over the wound to slow the bleeding. Dark eyes glared pass his white mask at the intern. It was hard to be intimidated by a glare when the individual was bleeding all over himself. Ami promptly released another wave of snow. The man unfortunately released his own counterattack of power. Ami's eyes widened as black ash leapt from his palm. Ami sensed her attack evaporate upon contact with the hot ash, filling the air with the rank smell of burnt coffee. Growling under her breath, Ami rushed through the heady mixture clouding the air. The man blocked her first punch, but his bleeding leg slowed him down too much to block the second blow. Her chest heaved as she stood over his prostrate form.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the other surgeon fighting for consciousness. Ami walked over to the instrument table and scanned the scattered contents. As she had hoped, she found a particular drug. She swiped up a needle and swiftly loaded the shot full of the sedative. With needle in hand, Ami marched over and jammed the drug into both the surgeon's blood stream. They were soon incapacitated.

Ami exhaled deeply. The adrenaline pumped through her system, rushing to the front of her skull. Swaying, she clutched the nearest counter. She looked down and saw crusted vomit and blood across her knuckles. Forcing her eyes to turn away, Ami was met with a pair of wide, frightened, brown eyes.

The thin child was dressed in a long nightshirt covered with kittens and butterflies. Her long legs stretched out across the white sheets, unblemished, but pale. Heavy, leather straps were wrapped around her ankles, constricting her movements. Another set of straps was around her wrists. Circular cups covered her exposed arms and legs. The colorful wires stretched from the cups and connected to the beeping machines surrounding her. Her pale face was covered by an oxygen mask. Her hands jostled against her restrains.

"Hotaru!" Ami rushed over to the side of the gurney. She pushed back the girl's dirty, black hair to get a better look at her tearstained face. Hotaru's muffled whimpers made Ami's heart squeeze. The intern frantically began to pull the sucking cups off the girl's body, ignoring the shrill cries of the monitors surrounding them. When she untied the mask from her face, Hotaru began to sob uncontrollably.

"Shh." Ami cupped the girl's cheek, stroking back her scraggly bangs. "It's okay. I've got you."

The strapped were last. Once her limbs were free, the girl scrambled up against the older woman's chest, sobbing into her shirt. Ami wrapped her arms tightly around her. Tears began to stream from her own eyes as she listened to the child's hollow sobs. She tried to coax the girl to calm down, rubbing her back with her warm hands.

She had never considered Hotaru had been taken. The small girl had foolishly been forgotten amongst the shuffle of events. Ami didn't believe Michelle would be irresponsible enough to take the girl with her to the coffee shop. She couldn't have been there. The NVerse must have found out about Hotaru through the news reports and gone to their house. It was also apparent from their present location that the NVerse had learned about the girl's abilities.

"I thought I was going to die." Ami heard Hotaru's trembling whisper.

Ami's eyes drifted to the surgical equipment and scanned the knives and needles. Her eyes stilled when they saw a tank full of purplish-black liquid connected to her IV. It looked like the same stuff she had been given when she had been held captive. Her blue eyes followed the length of the tubes and saw an IV inserted inside the girl's vein. Ami rapidly pulled out the needle from the girl's wrist.

"What were they planning to do to you?" Ami asked, her voice a mere thread.

Hotaru dug her face deeper into the older woman's arms. "T-They didn't say."

"_Security Team 2 to basement level 3."_

Ami's face snapped up when she heard the radio. Her blue eyes narrowed on the device sitting in a power dock on the opposing wall.

"_Repeat. Security Team 2 to basement level 3."_

_Static. Click._

"_Security Team 2 responding. Heading to level 3 by grid 5A." _

Ami had no idea what _grid 5A _referred to, but she knew the rest meant she was out of time. She hastily threw her pack onto the cot and began digging in one of the smaller pockets. After a few minutes, she pulled out her ipod headphones. Clutching them in one hand, she replaced the pack on her shoulders. She then swept her arm under the Hotaru's knees and picked her up like a baby against her bosom. Hotaru's thin arms instinctively went around the older woman's neck. Ami strode across the room to the radio dock. She pressed her lips against the girl's crown. "Listen to me carefully, Hotaru. I promise to get you out of here, but you have to promise me that you'll listen to what I say."

She felt Hotaru nod and Ami's arm tightened. "You have to be strong for me, Hotaru, and promise me you won't cry out loud. We can't let the bad men hear us."

"Okay," the little girl whimpered.

"Now, I want you to grab the radio off the wall," Ami instructed. Hotaru's white hand reached out and shakily unhooked the radio from its dock. She clutched it in her lap. "I have a holster under my jacket. Put the radio in the empty slot. Once you do that I want you to connect my headphones to the radio and put the earpieces in my ears, okay?"

Hotaru did as instructed as quickly as her quaking hands would allow. While she did that, Ami edged out into the corridor. She scanned both empty directions. _'Where to go? Where to go? Where to go?'_

She felt tiny fingers press the headphones into her ears and heard loud static hit her eardrums.

"Can you turn down the volume?" she whispered. Hotaru hastily reached for the dial as Ami began to tread down the hall. There was no time to risk using an elevator or stairway. She needed to find a place for them to hide. There was always a hiding spot she and the girls relied on during every mission. Her eyes began to rove across the wall and shortly spotted an air duct. It was a three-by-three duct. She was lucky she was such a petite woman. She trotted over to the vent and set Hotaru on the floor so she could search her bag for a screwdriver. The little girl curled against her side as she watched the woman worked the screws on the vent.

"What all do you have in that bag?"

"Not much really," Ami admitted. "I tried not to over pack my bag."

"You seem to have a lot."

"Most of the stuff is really small and light. The heaviest thing is a couple water bottles."

In her personal opinion, Ami couldn't get her hands to work fast enough. The flathead kept slipping off the screws. Her heart all but stopped when she heard a voice speak over the radio, explaining that the security team had reached her floor and was beginning its search for the intruder. When the last screw was removed, she ripped the vent cover off its frame. She firmly prodded Hotaru inside the dark tunnel, whispering warm words of encouragement. Hotaru bit down on her lower lip to quiet her whimpers. She was terrified to go into the dark enclosure, but she was more afraid of being discovered by her captors. She slid into the narrow space feet first, like Ami ordered, and shuffled backwards to give the older woman room to move in after her. Pulling her pack off, Ami shoved her feet inside just as she heard footsteps echo down the corridor. Quickly and silently, she slid the rest of her body into the duct, dragging her pack in behind her. She swept the screws inside and carefully set the cover over the vent, putting it at a slight tilt to keep it in place.

Her fingers slid out of the vent blinds as she heard the steps grow incredibly close. She prayed the guards hadn't seen the vent move. Her shuddering breaths filled the darkness as she waited for time to catch up with her. Her nostrils filled with dust, tempting her to sneeze. Hotaru's small hand found hers and Ami tenderly squeezed her hand. _'Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.'_

Through the thin slits of the cover, she had a good view of the surgical room's door. Ami held her breath when black boots stopped in her view. The toes turned in the direction of the door while several new pairs raced inside. Hotaru pressed against her legs, the only area she could reach in the narrow enclosure, as the clap of the soldiers' feet shook the ventilation walls. A few minutes of waiting and then, shoes poured out of the surgical room.

"Sir, the doctors have been drugged. They both have minor injuries. Also, subject nine of nine is missing."

Ami slowly exhaled and her face twisted into a scowl. _'Nine of nine?'_

"Missing?" the male voice was vaguely familiar, causing Ami's head to tilt forward. She was tempted to press against the cover to get a better look at the speaker, but she was afraid about knocking the cover open. Maybe it was Nephrite or Malachite. "So the intruder is here for the subjects."

"So it appears, sir."

A third man stepped into the conversation. "Could subject nine of nine be the woman Jeffrey encountered before his radio cut out?"

"He said a woman of twenty," the second man stated. "The subject is a little girl. She's can't be older than twelve."

A gruff sigh. "Security Team two to Security Mainframe. Subject nine of nine is missing. Intruder presumed to be targeting subjects. Requesting instructions."

She heard the exact same words come through her headphones. After a short span of static, a smooth voice responded across the radio frequency. _"Return to stations. Go into lock down and wait until further instructions. Detain subject nine of nine and intruder with any force necessary, but make sure both are taken alive. Confirm?"_

"Confirmed," the team leader replied. "Security team 2 returning to post by grid 3B."

Ami exhaled deeply once the sound of feet began to fade. She let herself relax against the metal walls, the beat of her heart slowing.

Artemis said he had found at least eight of eleven security posts and she knew each of those locations. She could make a general guess where the other three were from the measured distances between posts, but she would have to be wary of her guesses. She wasn't sure if could stand up against a full guard post.

"Ami?" Hotaru frightened whisper reminded the woman she was not alone. Ami shifted inside the vent, slowly maneuvering further down the length of the tunnel to squeeze alongside the thin child. It was such a tight squeeze she thought she might get stuck. She, however, did not regret her action when Hotaru wrapped her arms around her neck in a hug. The nurse rubbed her back.

"I'm here," Ami softly spoke into her ear. "I'll help you stay strong, Hotaru."

Hotaru pressed tighter against the woman. Ami could feel the tears soaking her shirt, but she was impressed to hear not a single whimper. She was such a brave little girl.

"Hotaru, do you remember what day you were brought here?"

She felt the girl's head tickle the underside of her chin. "No, but it was a long time ago."

Ami ran her fingers through Hotaru's hair. "Did you ever see Amara, Michelle, or Trista?"

"No."

"Did you ever see outside into the halls?"

"No," her small voice nearly broke.

Ami was disappointed. An inside look would have helped. Maybe if she had access to a computer she might be able to rummage around its database for information. She wanted the convenience of a computer hack, but she doubted she could find an unguarded machine. She definitely didn't see one in the surgical room. Without a computer, her options were horribly limited. Her best chance was to rely on the same spiritual connection that had led her to Hotaru.

"Hotaru, I want you to stay very still for a few minutes. I'm going to try to locate your aunts."

"How will you do that?"

Ami closed her eyes. "Magic."

"Wow." She was completed enamored.

Her gift raced through the basement level once more, seeking out any familiarity that could be identified as the three women. Her blood raced as her gift spread. The sensation was much like the times she had mediated with Rei at the shrine. The world would flex, twisting around her until it became a second skin. As she took in slow, deep breaths through her nose, the world would solidify. She could see the expanding plane in one glance; she could feel every melding layer with one touch. Yet, what she found was a tangled mass of wild sensations. There was so much in a single brush of contact that she had trouble filtering through the endless layers. Rei had mastered the act over many years, but for Ami it was a rough ride.

She was always startled the first minutes her spirit would stretch from her body. It was so strange to have the out-of-body experience. Her ghostly touch brushed curiously against the world of shadows. She urgently pushed through the layers, seeking something. Her spirit carefully inspected the random shadows for anything familiar. As she brushed along the way, she began to realize how many people were actually inside the base. There were hundreds. What really disturbed her, however, was not the steep number, but the way each aura she encountered was so cold under her touch.

Rei had once told Ami all about auras. During one of their practice mediation sessions, Ami had suddenly become aware of flaring warmth beside her. The feeling was new and she had anxiously leaned over to her tutor with a mouthful of questions.

"_You are feeling the aura of a person."_

"_An aura?"_

"_An aura is basically the range of their spirit."_

"_Okay, but it feels like it's outside your body. Sort of floating around you."_

"_A spirit is not contained in the physical body. It is anchored to it. The spirit can stretch beyond the flesh. Some people can stretch their spirit out for a quarter of a mile if they are truly skilled."_

"_Why would it matter how you far you can stretch it?"_

"_Various reasons. It shows control, power, ability, and so on. But mainly it's important because you can read the air with your spirit."_

"_You're losing me, Rei."_

"_I was born with a natural ability to extend my spirit farther then most people. Because of it, I'm often overwhelmed with feelings pouring out of the spiritual realm."_

"_Spiritual realm?"_

"_Abstract stuff. ESP, emotions, demons, visions, angels, that sort of thing. There's really no definition to the word."_

"_I should write a book on it."_

"_People have, but definitely not in the scientific way you would approach it."_

"_Anyway, back to this aura. You said you can feel things with your own spirit."_

"_Think of your spirit as being blind and the only way you can unveil the world around you, the spirit realm, is to feel it with your hands like the blind would. Your hands are your spirit."_

"_So I see things through channeling my spirit?"_

"_Basically."_

"_With the way you talk, no wonder people use to call you a witch."_

Ami returned to the spiritual search of the NVerse base. She kept brushing against auras that were frigid as ice. She guessed she was sensing the spirits of the soldiers, but she was confused to why they felt so cold. Auras felt many different ways, but rarely had temperature been a factor, and even less such a low temperature. Her curiosity begged her to linger on the auras, to pick away at the layers, but she forced herself to stay on task.

Ami lurched to a stop when her hand wrapped around another spiritual strand. Her spirit caressed it, sensing the imprinted signature left behind. She knew the signature. It had to be one of the girls. She forced her gift to follow the trail of the fluttering strand, trying to learn the path to the women. Each inch she traveled was a struggle. The act seemed more like something Rei would do. Not her.

Her mind was abruptly jostled as something brushed the edge of her awareness. Carefully, she shifted her mind's eyes and grazed against another cold form. Thinking it to be nothing, she went back to concentrating on the spiritual connection. Another jostle and she whirled back around. She didn't even need to stretch out her spirit to see the black form twisting on the edge of her vision. The image shook her to the core of her being. Everything she had beheld in the realm could only be connected through feeling or physical touch. Nothing had been through the perspective of sight. Thus, she was shocked into a stand still and lost her grip on the spiritual thread.

The form was different from anything she had seen in both the spiritual and mortal plane. The first idea that came to her was that it resembled a tattered cape. Perhaps a curtain was a better term to describe it. The ripped edges looked to be cut by a blunt razor. Someone had taken the curtain and tore at it like it had been a game to destroy the edges, but save the center, or heart, of the object. From the center of the mass, the darkness was an impenetrable blackness, appearing as depths never expedited. As the tattered ends stretched away from the center, the blackness grew transparent like smoke leaping from a bomb. The ripped edges twisted over each other as if the form was more of a living creature with limbs. The longer she stared at the thing, the more terrified she became.

She studied the form from afar, letting the bare wisps of shadows camouflage the image. Regardless that it was able to hold shape, there was still a cold air surrounding the form. Ami tentatively drew back. She didn't know what the thing was, but it did not reek of favorable features. There was something very wrong with it, and not just because she was able to see it.

She hastily swept the spiritual thread back up into her hold and raced down its length. The sound of metal grinding filled her ears, making her urge her spirit faster. She kept being distracted by the darkness on the edge of her sixth sense. The thing beyond her view seemed to growl at her as guard dog would. When she had made a few yards down the strand, she felt the darkness churn. In the corner of her vision, she saw the black curtain form a new shape and then, roar. Ami swung to the side as the darkness surged towards her. The nurse gasped loudly and her ghost self surged back into her firm body. Her eyes snapped open and, upon seeing the darkness of the vents, thought she had failed to return. She nearly screamed out loud when Hotaru shifted in her arms, alerting her that there was someone beside her. Ami slumped against the wall, breathing hard. "Oh my gosh…What…"

"Ms. Ami, are you okay?"

The woman pressed her hand into her eyes as her blood slowed. She had never felt anything like that before. Never. The darkness had formed into an animalistic shape and had literally attacked her. For that brief startled moment when she had faced the black mass, she thought she had witnessed the shape of bottomless red eyes. "Yea. I'm okay."

"Did you find them?"

The monster flashed in her head, again, making the woman stiffen.

"I think so," Ami replied softly. "At least, I know they're on the level above us. Somewhere on the west end of the base."

Hotaru clung to hope. She had been thinking about her caretakers continually for months. She had thought they had fallen into the fate of her parents and died. To finally hear her new family had survived made up for the sitting in the scary air duct. "Why are they here?"

Ami didn't dare explain that the women had been capturing from a direct result of her foolishness. "The bad men found out they have special gifts like us."

Hotaru's heart sobered. "Will the bad men hurt them?"

"I hope not," Ami whispered. The nurse shifted against the wall and preened over the shoulder of the girl to see down deeper into the vent. First agenda was to find a way to the above floor. Best way was one of three elevators. There were about twelve elevators inside the facility, but not all of them went to every floor. Three of the twelve worked only the underground floors and were meant for small group rides. She didn't plan to ride the elevator. What she planned was to get inside the shaft and use the work ladder that ran alongside the car. Even with the elevator running she could go up the thin passage and get to the next floor without being run over. The problem was getting inside the track without being caught.

She needed time to get the doors open to the shaft.

First thing was first. She had to find out her location. Then, she could work her way to one of the elevators.

"Hotaru, I want you to do me a favor and crawl down this vent."

The girl began to shake. "W-What?"

"I need to find an elevator, but I don't want to go out into the hall and be discovered. There should be another hall connected to the other end of the vent. Can you go that way and see what's on the other side. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?"

"I don't want to go alone," her words trembled.

Ami clutched the girl's hand to her chest. "I promise I won't leave you, Hotaru. I'm just a little big for these vents. It will be faster if you look to see what's on the other side of this vent and come back."

"I-I'm scared."

Ami untangled her fingers and grabbed the edge of her pack. She pulled down the flap and unzipped one of the pockets. It didn't take long to find her thin flashlight. She hastily pressed the object into the girl's shaking hands. "Use this flashlight, but don't shine it at the vent covers. Someone outside might see it."

Hotaru wrapped her fingers around the slender neck of the flashlight. She tried to look up into the older woman's face, but it was too dark to see her. She wanted to see the truth in her eyes. "You promise you won't leave me?"

"Never," Ami stated firmly, taking a moment to kiss the girl's crown. With a calmness not usually seen with a ten-year-old, the sickly child slipped down the length of the petite woman and disappeared from sight. The moment Ami felt her presence slip from her touch, a swell of despair filled the intern's heart. She hadn't noticed how comforting the girl's presence had been. To have someone with her after an hour of dealing with the worst challenges had subconsciously brought back some of Ami's lost courage. With Hotaru gone now, Ami had trouble keeping her breath even. The darkness was again pressing against her like back in the hall and she had to bite her lip to keep from whimpering.

_'You're an adult. Stop being afraid of the dark.'_ She immediately thought of the monster in the spiritual plane. _'Okay, you have the right to be afraid of that thing, whatever it was.'_

A hand abruptly grabbed her ankle, making the intern jumped. "H-Hotaru?"

"Ms. Ami, there's a hall at the end of the vent. There's even an elevator."

Ami's eyebrow lifted. Could she really be that lucky?

* * *

Zoisite wasn't sure how he was supposed to get into the base. He and Artemis had exhausted the best entry points. Thus, he was stuck outside on the roof of a nearby building, studying the towering edifice with a set of binoculars. He doubted he would be able to see anything new with the binoculars, but he was sort of stumped on what else he could do. He kept watching the circulation of visible guards, trying to see a hole in their security.

_'They've done a good job of fixing the holes we infiltrated. Crap.'_ His eyes strayed to the entrance, tempted to go head first into the problem. It was a pointless idea, but fighting would definitely get the edge off his anxiety. His eyes strayed to the truck exiting the back gate. To solve this puzzle box, he figured his best chance was to slip in through a false appearance. He didn't need to steal the identity of the truck driver, just the truck.

He smiled excitedly behind his binoculars before darting for the fire escape. Soon, he was situated on the edge of alleyway next to the road leading to the gate. He had picked the spot because there were several lampposts and patio umbrellas blocking security's view of him. Zoisite shuffled as he waited for a truck to come into view. There were a dozen vehicles leaving the base, but he hadn't seen one, since he had gotten to the ground, entering. He hoped one would get there before his emotions took over and made him do something rash. He kept thinking about Ami being alone inside, dealing with dozens of guards.

Turning to the side, he spotted his promise chariot rolling in his direction. He grinned and stepped deeper into the alley to get out of the trucker's view. As he waited for the truck to round the corner, he stretched his limbs. He hoped there was a ladder on the back doors of the vehicle. It would make life easier.

As the vehicle drove by, he grumbled inwardly at his foul luck before sprinting towards the rear of the truck. His ripped across the tread, closing the distance. He jumped onto the bumper and gripped the iron rod that locked the door in place. Again he grumbled over the lack of ladder and began to scale the slick back, using the rod as leverage. He barely grabbed the lip of the roof when the truck pulled to a stop in front of the gate. He easily made it onto the roof of the trailer before the truck resumed rolling forward. The security guard failed to ever notice the dark lump on the roof. He had a second chance to notice the breach in security as the truck entered the docking bay at the end of the concrete, but the guard had been too busy looking at the delivery time sheet.

* * *

Hotaru's face whirled side to side as she stood watch for any approaching guards. Ami was building a key of ice into the slot that would open the shaft doors. Thankfully, no guards had appeared by the time she was able to pull the doors open. Ami cheered inwardly at her second mile-long victory. She waved Hotaru into the shaft. "You first."

She quietly helped the girl down the three foot drop to the bottom of the shaft before jumping in behind her. Checking the hall one last time before she turned the key back into the locked position, Ami began to pull the door close. When her feeble arms weren't able to do the work, she forced the door close by pushing the inner mechanics with ice arms. The lips of the door caressed together when she suddenly heard the elevator roar into life above her.

Without looking up, Ami hastily pushed Hotaru to the ladder wedged in the narrow indention on the furthest wall. As she waited for her to get up the rungs, Amy upturned her face and watched the elevator begin in slow descent from the top basement floor.

"Just to the second floor?" Hotaru asked softly.

The elevator wheels were so loud inside the shaft that Ami nearly missed her question. "Yea. Get to the second floor and we'll get out there."

The elevator screeched closer, making Ami on edge. She wondered if the occupants inside the car could hear them. Ami grabbed onto the rungs, and pressed Hotaru's legs against them. "This is going to be a tight squeeze. Watch out."

Hotaru wrapped her arms around the rungs, pressing her flat chest against the wall. She was suddenly terrified of being squished. Her eyes rolled upwards. Ami hoped the climb wouldn't later instill claustrophobia into the child. It was hard not to feel comfortable with a three-ton metal car passing inches away from a person's back. Hotaru had plenty of room, but she continued to press into the ladder. Ami inhaled deeply, trying to steel her nerves as the car passed her next. She was twice Hotaru's size and as the car had lowered she began to worry about being able to slip pass the car. The ladder was meant for times when the elevator was offline for maintenance. The architect did not put the ladder for times when the car was running. She knew Hotaru would fit, but an adult was harder to manage.

Reaching her shoulders, the intern squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms behind the ladder metal pipes. The wheels creaked in her ears, telling the woman it had missed her back. She wished it would go faster and end the tension. Ami breathed a deep sigh of relief once the car had passed her flat rear.

Regaining her solid composure, she patted Hotaru's calf to signal her to proceed. The girl hastily went back to climbing. Arriving shortly at the next set of doors, Hotaru propped her hip onto a higher rung and waited for the intern. The elevator growled causing Ami to swivel around and see the car halt three feet below the second level. Shrugging, Ami hopped down onto the roof of the car. She cursed when her feet made a deafening clap against the roof. Deciding it was better to get moving than worry over her mistake, she hastened to get the doors open. The car might start again.

Her conscience told her to check for guards. It told her to reach out with her gift and search for auras outside the doors. Unfortunately, her instincts did not agree with the idea. They told her to keep as far away from the nameless creature she had seen.

Another set of ice crowbars were formed and the doors slid open before she could reevaluate the situation. The floor of the next level appeared parallel to her chest, making her feel three times shorter than normal. Placing her forearms up onto the floor, she gingerly peeked out into the hall, half-expecting to see dark figures. Yet, again there wasn't any sign of security.

Putting her foot unto one of the ladder runs, Ami pulled herself up onto the next level of gray tiles. Once she had helped Hotaru up, they mutely studied the length of hall. The little girl immediately went to her hide against her side, grabbing the woman's hand. She tentatively asked, "Which way is west?"

Ami glanced down at her watch, checking the handy compass built into the face. "Left."

With gun out, she walked down in the said direction with Hotaru clutched in her free hand. As she began to scan the doors' plates, she realized she recognized the rooms. Ami reloaded the blueprints to the front of her mind and checked the second basement level. She knew this area. This was one of the areas Artemis had mapped. She shuffled through her memory and tried to connect the hall she was in to where it led. At the end of the hall, she would have a four-way intersection. She knew what waited at the end of the north and south halls, but not the west. There was a blind spot halfway down the west hall. Most likely the cellblocks were hidden there.

"_Security alert in docking 2. Possible second intruder."_

Ami stopped in the center of the intersection, making Hotaru stumble into her side. She pressed her fingers against the earpiece. Had they just said there was someone else in the base?

"_Security mainframe to dock. Confirm second intruder."_

"_Dock to security mainframe. We have two guards knocked unconscious. Unable to further report"_

Ami forced herself to rush down the west hall. _'Zoisite?'_

Her clock told her it had only been an hour and a half since she had left the house. Zoisite must have sped down the interstate or he had been unconscious for less than fifteen minutes. Even if he had, she was surprised by how quickly he had slipped into the base. She hadn't expected him to be so quick. Well, he had gotten discovered. Perhaps his quick infiltration had sacrificed his stealth.

"Stupid man," she grumbled under her breath as she went back to checking the doorplates. She would have to double her efforts to complete her mission. He was here to stop her, and she wasn't willing for that to happen. She had to finish.

Ami came to a corner and pulled up the edge of the wall. She drew Hotaru up against her back and, ever so slowly, she peeked around the corner. Immediately, she knew she had found the girls. There were half a dozen men mulling around a circular desk. They each wore uniforms with padded chest plates and armor gear for their forearms and shins. They also had helmets with visors. Her calm exterior wavered when she saw the automatic rifles clutched against their chests. They looked much like a police bomb squad.

'_Crap.'_ She ducked back out of view. Her hand ran down her face as exhaustion began to hit her. She had been going nonstop for over an hour. Her nerves were shot and her energy was running low. No wonder her brain was slowing down. _'My gun won't do it. I need to take them out before they can alert the mainframe.'_

She ran through her list of ideas. Untangling her hand from Hotaru's, she reached into her pack. She extracted a water bottle from its confines and chose a fog screen solution. She dropped to eyelevel with Hotaru and gave her a pointed look. "There are some men around the corner. I have to go deal with them, but I don't want you to get hurt so you have to promise me you will stay right here."

Hotaru began to tremble again. "You're going to leave me?"

Ami removed her cap so she could wipe the sweat away from her brow. Replacing the hat, Ami forced a brilliant smile. "Remember what I told you. I would never leave you. Do you promise to stay right here?"

Her pale face nodded. "Yes."

The nurse hesitated. "You won't move?"

Hotaru began to wring her hands and her big eyes filled with tears. "I promise."

Ami brushed a frantic kiss on the girl's temple before turning back towards the corner. She squared her shoulders and tightened her grip around the plastic bottle. Again she edged her face around the corner. She was fully prepared to throw the water bomb and form a fog smokescreen from the water molecules. When she checked around the corner, however, she was startled to see the men swaying on their feet. _'Wha—'_

Suddenly, one of the guards pitched forward, collapsing to the ground. Ami clenched her gun while she heard numerous groans escape from the security men. Her blue eyes widened when she saw the entire team dropping like flies to the tile floor. She hadn't done a thing. Who did? She whirled around.

Hotaru was sobbing silently behind her balled up fists. Her brown eyes stared up at the older woman with an apologetic expression. Gradually, Ami slid down to her knees, returning to eye level with the girl. "H-Hotaru?"

"I'm sorry," she blubbered, pressing her fist into her eyes. She tried to keep her tears in her eyes. "I-I didn't m-mean to do it."

Ami gripped the girl's shoulders. "Shh. It's okay. It's okay."

"No!" Hotaru nearly screamed. "I've been so good. The whole time I was here I haven't done anything bad. I was doing like Aunt Michelle had taught me."

"You mean your gift?" Ami stumbled. "Have you learned to control it?"

Pulling down her fists, Hotaru shook her head. "Please don't be mad at me."

"No, no!" Ami quickly wrapped the girl into her arms. She ignored the possibility that she was putting herself in danger by hugging the child. If Hotaru had been able to hit the team with such a powerful blow from yards away, she could do far worse to the intern. "I'm not mad. I know you can't help it."

"You won't leave me?"

"Never," Ami insisted, mind whirring. She was surprised she hadn't been assaulted. "I could never leave you."

'_That black liquid… back in the surgical room. Was it a suppressant? Had they known Hotaru's gift was death?'_ Ami remembered she had also been given the drug. _'It's got to be how they kept me fighting for consciousness. They drugged me like they did her.'_

"Hey, you helped out," Ami laughed curtly. "I wasn't sure if I get by those guys and you took them out for me."

"But they're d-dead!" Hotaru cried, folding into herself. Ami struggled to keep her on her feet. The child wanted to curl up into a ball and cry into the woman's lap. "I k-killed them."

Ami's heart clenched. She had intended to kill those men. She knew she wouldn't be able to spare them all. She would be able to knock two or three unconscious before the men would have located her in the fog. Then, she would have gotten one of their rifles and shot them down. They would have been dead and she would have been the one sobbing on the floor instead of Hotaru. Ami breathed deeply, feeling as if she was on the edge of some cliff. "It's not your fault, sweetie."

"B-But…" Hotaru shook her head. "It is. It's my fault."

Ami mouth flapped open. "You didn't mean to do it."

"Auntie's not going to want me anymore," Hotaru strained. "She'll send me back!"

"No, she won't. She wouldn't—"

"Will you keep me?"

"H-Hotaru, she won't—"

"Promise you'll take me with you."

Ami exhaled deeply, "I promise you, Michelle, won't send you back to the hospital. She loves you despite what you've done. She knows you have a problem. She didn't expect to fix your problem in a few months."

Hotaru's thin fingers tangled in the older woman's hands. Ami could see a light burning in her deep, brown eyes. She pushed back Hotaru's messy bangs, trying to get a better look at it. "I promise you everything will be okay, darling. When we see your aunts, they'll tell you the same thing."

"Really?" Hotaru whimpered, brushing her cheek with a wet palm.

"Yea," Ami insisted, tugging the girl down the hall. "Come on. There just down the hall."

Her hand flexed on the heel of her gun, remembering it was still there. Her mind quickly returned to the base, sensing the very real danger surrounding them. The alarm became ten times louder in her ears and she remembered her stopwatch ticking away on her wrist. She marched towards the circular desk that stood in front of double doors. The dark plate glared at her: _Cellblock._

Getting closer, Ami strategically put her body between Hotaru and the dead security team. She stroked the girl's dark hair, forcing her head against her side. She walked along the edge of the wall, never allowing the girl to steal a glance at the men she had involuntarily killed. Ami's eyes, nevertheless, failed to be so disciplined, and she stared numbly at the black figures marring the tiles. They didn't look much different from the men she had knocked unconscious downstairs. They all weren't moving. The only difference was that she knew the man she was looking at would never move again. Gingerly, she pushed Hotaru behind the desk.

There was a heavy electronic lock on the pair of double doors. The locking mechanism was solid and flat, giving Ami nothing to connect her computer. On the desk, however, there were three LCD monitors and a keyboard. Ami hunched over the counter and studied the icons covering the computer screen. "Trash. Team 8 Employee Profiles. Recent Projects. Cameras LVB1. Cameras LVB2. Cameras LVB3. Cellblock."

She clicked on the padlock icon. A window stretched across the NVerse Corporation logo backdrop and revealed the folder contents. She zeroed in on the item marked "DOORS." Another window opened and requested a password. Ami immediately whipped out her compact computer and began to plug in the needed wires. "Hotaru, keep an eye and ear out for security. This might take a minute."

"Okay."

Actually, it took one minute and seventeen seconds for her to break the code. The heavy steel doors groaned behind the girls and began to slide open. Ami grinned at her small triumphant. _'Almost there.'_

She snatched up her computer and she raced inside with Hotaru in tow. The first she noticed was how cold it was inside the room. It had to be fifty degrees. Ami had an easy enough time shaking off the temperature, but Hotaru was running around barefoot in an oversized t-shirt. When the girl began to shake, Ami had relinquished her jean jacket. Next what she noticed was the fact that only dim emergency lights hung in the room. The bulbs scarcely pushed back the shadows. The red flash of the alarms did spill into the room, but it didn't quite reach the deepest corner. The third and most disturbing element she noticed was that the room was not filled with bars to detain the prisoners, but glass tubes similar to the one she had been imprisoned in months ago. There were over a dozen of them making a semicircle along the wall. Each twelve by three foot chamber had a large black box screwed onto it side. There were a handful of tubes pouring into the roof of the box and connecting into the top of the chamber. There was also an electronic touch screen panel next to an IV bag.

Her eyes scanned the tubes. They were all dark, but she was able to see that most were empty. She calmly strode to the three occupied chambers. Hotaru pressed up against the nearest one and squinted. "I can't tell who it is."

Ami was already working the touch screen. "Give one second…I'm sure there is a light..."

A fan kicked on inside the panel she was working and a light inside the connected tank flickered revealing the unconscious figure of the blonde car racer. She was in the same scuba suit Ami had worn. She also had an oxygen mask, catheter, and intravenous tube connected to her body. Her blonde hair flower with the current while her eyelids remained closed to the outside world. Her usually scowl was vacant from her face, leaving her brow eased and comfortable. Ami released a weary sigh of relief once she saw her angelic expression.

"It's Auntie Amara."

"Yea." Ami went to the next two chambers and turned on their lights. As expected, the lights revealed Michelle and Trista as well. Both of them were unconscious as well. "They're all here."

Hotaru began to grow anxious. "How do we get them out of there?"

Ami scowled. Zoisite had broken her tank. Hopefully, she wouldn't be able to settle with other means. She probably could get pass the security software to open their tanks. "I'll have to see—"

"I don't plan on letting you ladies open those prison docks." Ami instinctively grabbed Hotaru and shoved the small girl behind her back as she faced the room's entrance. Already standing a few feet inside the room, the speaker's features were shrouded in shadows. Ami could tell anyhow that the voice was familiar and she recalled hearing it back on the bottom floor. Being able to hear the voice a little clearer helped jog her memory. The world disappeared in a shuddering breath. She squinted, unable to believe her ears. Surely, her guess was wrong. Regardless that she had loaded gun pointed in his direction, the man took a step forward. The light grazed against his curious scowl. "Ami?"

"Greg?"

* * *

**_A/N: Another chapter in a little less than a week. Hmm. Hadn't planned that one. _**


	25. When Rules Change

_**A/N: Took a lot out of me, but here's the next installment. Enjoy. It's a good one.**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 25: When Rules Change_

* * *

Her brain was unable to counter the sudden shift of events. She kept staring at his hansom face, thinking a single sentence over and over. _'He's not supposed to be here. He's not supposed to be here. He's not supposed to be here.'_

Her hand unclenched and clenched around her handgun. He had ripped apart the rules. The NVerse Corporation was a base crawling with dangerous and unsavory people who kidnapped women and abused little girls. The high ranking corporate officials were psychotic cult members chasing after myths. Most importantly they were an evil that had surged pass the limits of time. His presence, his confused expression, it destroyed those assumptions.

"What are you doing here, Greg?" Her voice was a breaking stitch in her stoic disposition. _'Did you do all of this?'_

His feet drew deeper into the room. His innocent expression didn't falter. "I could ask you the same thing, Ames."

"Don't move!" She yelled. Her command came out too loud, too frightened. She was desperately trying to hold on to the fragile control over the situation. She had the gun. She had the control. Even though, they both knew she would never fire the gun at him.

His raised foot, gingerly, withdrew backwards. Regardless of what his presence meant inside the base, she was still startled to see the heavy-duty outfit of a security guard on his stock figure. Ami studied his warm eyes, trying to read his mind. Sadly, she had never been skilled at reading his heart. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so shocked to hear he had cheated on her.

His eyes were opaque as ever. "I didn't think I would ever see you, again."

"Now answer my question," she demanded. "What are you doing here?"

He delicately glanced past her at the child hiding behind her back. She saw his weight shift forward and her muscles clenched. She inhaled sharply as she steadied her aim. His eyes went back to her face, ignoring the gun so rudely aimed at him.

"I work here, Ames. This is the job that moved me to Georgia."

"Georgia? We're in Georgia?" she disjointedly asked.

He chuckled lightly and shoved his hands into his pockets. It was the same stance he took when he made casual conversation with her. Even so, her eyes darted down to his pockets, wary of their contents. "Where did you think you were?"

A bitter retort jumped into her head, making her lips twist into a furious scowl. "Oh I don't know? I _thought_ I was in the same base that I had been held captive two months ago."

Years of repressed hate began to bubble towards the surface. "I _thought_ I was in the same base that was holding my friends. I thought I was in the same place only the worst of people worked."

His eyes softened. "Don't be that way, Ames. Please."

Her gun wavered at the small flash of pain. After he had ripped apart her heart and ran away with Beryl, she had intended to someday return the favor. She had believed it would lessen her heartache. If she got him to understand the extent of what he did to her. Yet, when she saw the flash in his deep, brown eyes, her heart twisted as if it disagreed.

"Why not?" she asked weakly. Her heart was fluttering. "What shouldn't I act like this? It's not like I'm being selfish. I just want answers. That's all I ever wanted."

She was lucky she was openly sobbing by the end of her words. So much history lied in the man in front of her. He had been her Everest, the high point in her sad life. Now, he had added to her suffering by being apart of some complex conspiracy. Had he ever cared about her? Or had he always been a spy for the NVerse Corporation?

"I showed you my gift in confidence." Her tone grew gentle. "You were the first person outside of the girls. Now, I w-wish…"

A sob leapt up into her throat.

Greg lifted both hands up into the air, "Woah. I don't want this, Ami. I never did."

Ami laughed quietly. She wanted to believe him. Oh, how badly she wanted to believe in him, again. It would erase all the heartache if he told it was all a lie. It would be so easy.

"Yea, then why did you cheat on me?" Her frayed dignity was slipping farther from her grip. "Did you really not want to?"

"Ami—"

"Because in the end you did," she interrupted firmly. Hotaru flinched behind her at the calm tone.

"I had to save you," Greg rushed out, taking a frantic step towards her.

Ami failed to notice his step. She was momentarily distracted by what he had said. Her mouth flapped open. "Don't lie to me."

"No, its true!" Greg insisted passionately. "I never wanted to leave you."

Hotaru tugged at the back of the woman's shirt. "Ms. Ami…"

The intern waved her back, eyes never leaving the man's down turned expression. "How was leaving me for another woman helping me?"

Greg took another step closer, arms outstretching. "I never told you—"

"Ms. Ami."

Ami was too hung on his words. Her vision was sinking deeper into his brown eyes. She could almost see what she fell in love with so long ago. Unconsciously, she leaned towards the man.

"I never told you that I had a gift, too."

Her gun lowered as Ami let out a shuddering breath. "W-What?"

"Imagine, Ames." Greg began to laugh happily. "We were so meant to be with each other. I'm just like you. I could do things like you."

"W-What things?" she asked without thinking.

His face darkened, "In a way, we have even more in common because of our gifts have caused each of us pain."

"What are you saying?"

"My gift is destructive," Greg replied softly. "Every time it has been released people have been hurt."

"Like Hotaru's gift?"

He nodded, taking another step. "Yes, just like hers, but mine is not so merciful."

"Did you leave because you were afraid?" Ami's body was slowly relaxing, unable to stop the swell of joy spreading through her body. She suddenly felt jittery and full of abounding energy.

A smile spread across his tan features. "Yes."

"B-But," she shook her head, mouth flapping. "But why did you make up Beryl?"

"I couldn't let you follow me," Greg insisted warmly. "I couldn't take the chance of hurting you."

He was only a few feet away. One more step and he would be able to pull her into a hug. His face seemed forlorn. "My gift reacts randomly. I have barely any control over it. Multiple times I've woken up from a nap and found mangled bodies. I c-could never…"

She was tempted to step into him. She wanted to feel his arms, to remember happy things. She didn't want to think about what she was doing or what she would soon do. Abruptly, she blinked and saw the glass chambers past his shoulders. She remembered the last hour work of brawls and hacking.

"Ms. Ami."

The intern pulled her foot back, carefully edging away from those warm arms she wanted to fall into without reason. His brown eyes followed her. His eyebrows gradually curled down against the triangular point above his nose. "Ames?"

"I've wanted to hear that for so long," Ami responded softly. She pushed Hotaru backwards with each step. Ami kept her eyes on him the whole time, pouring all her love into the sharp gaze. "I could never doubt you."

She heard the gentle thrum of water pumping through the tanks. She took one last step and came between Amara and Trista's chambers. Ami wedged Hotaru as far back as she was physically able before she pointed her gun back at her lost love.

"If only you hadn't brought Amara and the other's here," Ami nearly growled. Her heart torn in two when she saw something she had never seen in his face cloud in his eyes. His gaze narrowed in a predatory fashion. "I would still believe you. I probably risk be hurt all over again if there was the smallest hope of being with you, again. Except, I won't risk my friends being hurt again by you."

The air grew wild. She could feel it all the way down in her pores. She knew he was reaching into gift, preparing to unleash on her.

"You're wearing that outfit for a reason, Greg," She stated harshly. "I have been trying to ignore it, but I can't excuse the sins connected to this corporation. I don't know if what you said why a lie or not, but you can't say you helped in my kidnapping in an effort to save me."

"It wasn't a complete lie," his voiced hissed out. He sounded different. He sounded gruffer. The shadows began to stretch back over him. His body was disappearing into the darkness. "I do have a terrible gift. You'll see I'm not lying about that."

She gritted her teeth and her eyes blurred with tears. "Let's see it."

* * *

Zoisite swiveled to the left hall. His face was in a tight scowl while his gun pointed at every shadow. He hastily whirled towards the opposite hall. He couldn't make a decision on which one was the better choice. Zoisite groaned out loud his exhaustion.

The onslaught of security was becoming too much. He had already clawed through eight men and knew more waited down the path, if the alarm overhead was any indication. He had barely gotten anywhere. The staff was on edge, obviously aware that they had an intruder running around the halls. He wondered if he or Ami had raised the alert. By now, the dock security had found the men he knocked out.

'_Where are you?'_ He desperately reached out for her spiritual strand. _'Where are you, Mouse?'_

* * *

The shadows were no longer swallowing him. They were becoming him. Ami's heart was hammering while she watched the lines of his body rip and tear. She saw frayed ends flow off his skin. Coils pumped within the center, acting as veins. The texture of the heavy stitched suit melted into billowing smoke. The curling blackness wrapped around his being and it made it near impossible for Ami to distinguish his body from the surrounding shadows. If it weren't for the bright hall behind him, she might have thought he had disappeared completely.

Gradually, the smoky shadows leaned forward. She watched his knees bend backwards and his arms shorten. The curtain flushed downwards and he became a formless mass of twisting darkness. Her finger tightened on the trigger as two solid red eyes rolled open.

_'Oh dear Lord save me!'_ Ami inwardly screamed. She tried to step backwards, away from the creature glaring at her, and bumped into Hotaru's short form. The little girl whimpered behind her. _'Got to protect her. Them. For them.'_

She lurched to the side, drawing the red eyes in her direction. Razor black fangs slipped into view and the creature-that-was-Greg roared. It was the sound of metal screeching against a brittle edge. Ami swung her gun to her left as the creature launched into the air at her. Its red eyes were locked below her face, at her throat! Ami didn't hesitate shooting.

It snapped at the air before its form evaporated. Her eyes widened as the bullet passed the spot it had once been and then, Greg reformed. His momentum had not been lost. He was inches from her exposed throat. Ami threw up her arm at the last second and his fangs plunged into her forearm.

Ami screamed as his teeth went through three layers of clothing and hit bone. His limbs crashed into her stomach and they both slammed against one of the chambers. The water sloshed inside from the force.

Hotaru slapped both her hands over her mouth as she saw her keeper smash into the tank. Muttering fear driven curses, the little girl began to beat her hands against her aunts' water chambers. They needed help. "Auntie! Auntie!"

Ami yelled and slapped her free hand over the muzzle tugging on her arm. Her fingernails dug through the bloody material and black lips, pulling with all her might. She felt knife-like claws abruptly stabbed into her side. Her yell stilled in her throat as he easily tore through her flesh as if it were paper. He was trying to immobilize her. Ami screamed again when she felt him pulling back his face from her arm, still carrying her muscle in his teeth.

With tears and splattered blood trailing down her face, she glared back at the red eyes. She took a deep breath and released a snowstorm directly into his mouth. White floated out from between his teeth. His teeth were retracted as he flung back his head, screeching. She didn't wait for him to recover as she released another blast at his chest.

She exhaled sharply as his claws slid out of her hip. She felt warm blood spill out of the deep wounds. She stumbled forward clutching her arm. _'Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.'_

Greg shook his head. There was a horrible, freezer burn sensation in his skull. Ami was confused to see his shape shudder against the dark room. He was hunched on all fours on the ground and his back was elongated. His nose had extended from his face, forming more of a dog's muzzle. He _was_ a dog. He was a huge one of smoke and razors.

"I need animal control," Ami mumbled half-jokingly. Red eyes snapped to her and warning growl hissed across the room. She began to circle the monster. Her arm was still clutched to her chest. Blood was pouring down her leg, soaking all the way down to the cuff. _'I don't have long before the blood lost hits me. Course, it's not like I'm on a hard enough schedule.'_

He charged a second time. She fired three bullets this time, emptying the clip. Again, the bullets passed through empty air. This time she was able to dodge him. She kept her back to the wall as she slide over to the side. His head snapped towards her, lips curling.

There was no longer appeared to be a hint of humanity left in the black shrouded being. His posture was all wrong. His ribs were heaving against pounding lungs. The small act of swiveling his head to follow her movement was even odd. He was sharper, more carnal. It was very possible that his consciousness had been suppressed after the transformation. Perhaps, his actions were no longer based on a higher intelligence, but instead ruled by instinct and primal urges. A gray tongue, too long for a human, slipped through the seam of teeth and wiped the swell of gums hiding under black lips.

_'Makes some sense that he's in an animalistic form.'_

Hot blood was spilling through her fingers. She couldn't stop the blood flow. More so, she would be less able to stop the blood flow while running circles around the room. She shuffled to the left, watching his burning eyes following her movements.

Her treads slid precariously over the tile. Her balance wavered and he took the opening. She knew she was going down one way or another. Her equilibrium demanded she swing her arm backwards to regain her balance, but instead, she swung it forward. The motion sucked her towards the floor at the same moment a whirl of blue expelled from her arm. The swirling vortex of water was unexpected by both fighters. Ami could feel her gift stretching from her body. She could feel her spirit going with the expelling current. She even saw her blood mixing with the glowing blue. The water attack crashed into the dog seconds before she crashed into the floor tiles.

The floor rushed up and knocked the back of her head. Stars danced across the ceiling. She felt her bones sink and her breathing falter. Somewhere she heard voices, but it wasn't voices she knew. No, they were voices from a far distant, calling to her. They were trying to reach her. Weren't that? What words were they mumbling?

He shook off the shock of the water. His limbs swept back under his thin body and lifted two hundred pounds of muscle. He coughed twice. Salvia mixed with blood hit the ground, but he did not notice. He noticed the tight pain in his side and left lung. The leg that bore the pain's weight labored to stand tall without flinching. His hunger, however, ignored this subtle handicap. His nostrils flared, sampling the scent of ripe flesh.

His sights darted to the side, studying the child hiding between the glass chambers. Tiny hands were slapping against the glass, making the most annoying sucking sound. He was tempted to change his focus and tear down the easier prey, but he had not completely incapacitated the mother lioness. Until she was taken down, the youngling could not be hunted. With mild irritation, he returned to his study of the battered mother. He crept forward, his front left foot slightly dragging. The figure shifted her back to him. His jaws dropped open and he began to jog forward. He would wrap his teeth around her neck and squeeze the life out.

His ears twitched when he heard the tiny bell ringing. For a shaved second, he lost his focus on her neck. He sought out the noise location, curious to the meaning of its appearance. When he realized the high-pitched bell was on connected to the fallen woman's wrist, her fist was already coming at his snout. She struck hard, cracking the delicate bone that structured his cavernous nostrils. He released a squeal and rolled backwards from the force.

Ami slapped her hand down and carefully got into a better sitting position. Her vision was blurring, but she kept blinking it back into focus. She was running out of time. She was lucky her alarm had startled her. She had set the timer with two alerts. It was to mark the phases of her mission and kept her from slipping off schedule. Unfortunately, she was already down by a fifth of a minute.

"I didn't think I would have to decide whether or not to kill you, Greg," she stated evenly. He scrambled back to his feet, ready for another round. He just had to get back up. "But it was your decision to get in my way. I'm sorry."

Red eyes snapped to her. Ami closed her eyes, unable to concentrate with her disorienting vision. He galloped towards her, teeth flashing. The glass of the chambers behind her shattered and the water rushed pass her. She breathed in the scent of rushing water, felt it graze her cheeks, and tango with the tips of her blue hair. Her cap flew off and was swallowed. She was surrounded by the gallons of water. It built a sheet around as it hit her lost beloved. The battered woman looked to be encased in a giant water pipe, or an oddly shaped snow globe. But, the glittering vision passed in an escaping breath, leaving behind a feeble woman staring at a shadow creature encased in a jagged mass of ice.

Ami's shoulders shook as she took deep, gulping breaths. She was completely worn from the dramatic push of power. Creating an ice mass large enough to imprison a human being was a large feat when she was so badly injured. She felt as if she had given away half of her lung just to do it.

She knew she was wasting precious time sitting on the floor, but she was still trying to fight to stay conscious. A familiar black haze was pushing her back, hungry to win. She focused on a random line in the tile. She studied it to keep the darkness at bay. If she could steady her breathing she might be able to hold on a bit longer.

_'A bit longer? The road is still very long. Can I really hold on?'_ She nearly fell forward, but her good arm caught her. Her gaze switched to a new line. She could see the tiny fleck of color within the gray. She saw red creeping down the grout between the tiles, stretching across her line of focus. _'You are stronger than this. You have to be stronger. Don't give them the satisfaction.'_

Warm hands pressed against her cheeks, turning her face. Ami was floating away. She blinked, but Hotaru's face was swaying at the end of a black tunnel. "Ms. Ami! Ms. Ami!"

"W-What?" the nurse slurred as she crumbled to the floor. Hotaru's arms were too weak to hold up the woman. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the woman's eyes slide close.

"Ms. Ami!" Hotaru became frantic. She clutched the woman's shirt and tried to shake her awake. Ami's face was planted firmly against the tiles, unyielding to her efforts. Hotaru's hands pulled back with blood covering her white skin. "Oh god…"

The small child didn't know what to do when she realized her savior's life had fallen too deep into sleep to be pulled back to her. Hotaru scrambled off the floor and ran to her aunts. She swung around Michelle's glass container and faced the black screen of the touch screen pad. She was a far cry from the computer hacker of her rescuer, but she was not computer illiterate liked her dead mother had been. With frightened tears clinging to her chin, Hotaru woke up the screen with a hearty slap. Yellow squares flashed across the monitor, offering multiple operations for the test chamber including subject release. Unfortunately, when she pressed the command to open the cell, the computer flashed red and demanded a password.

"No," Hotaru sobbed, pounding her fists against it. There was no way she could open the cell without Ami. She was tempted to grab Ami's computer and connect the hacking software, but she didn't think she had the time to fool with the complicated process. Ami's blood loss was too much, too fast. She needed help, and Hotaru was too helpless to give it. She needed her aunts.

She gave a final pound on the screen before she whirled around. Hotaru pressed her hands flat against the glass and stared intently at Michelle's quiet face. Hotaru could see her aunt's eyes rolling beneath thin lids. She was dreaming. Hotaru's breath clouded the glass. Her lips twisted and she began to sob out of mixed frustration and terror.

* * *

Zoisite ran into another hall and slowed to a halt a few feet inside it. His green eyes darkened as the blonde man stepped out into his path five yards ahead. Jedite casually tossed his bangs out of his eyes and gave a crooked smile. "So we meet again, stranger."

He showed little concern for the Zoisite's gun. His hands were shoved into his jacket pockets and his eyes seemed to ignore the metallic weapon's presence. Shoulders were slack. His haughty posture irritated the opposing man.

Jedite appeared more of a soldier from the last time Zoisite had seen him at the coffee shop. Before, he had worn a mundane jacket and cap. This time, he wore his long dark cape of a coat that reached the back of his calves. It had a high collar and black buttons that closed over his heart. The style was oddly familiar to Zoisite. On the jacket's shoulder was a black crescent moon much like the one Luna wore on her brow. The main difference was the color and the direction the moon was pointed. Luna's moon had always pointed upwards while Jedite's moon pointed down like a pair of fangs. Beneath the moon's fangs were three prefect black stars sitting in a straight line. The stars were the mark of a general.

"I'm surprised you made it this far," Jedite lazily pulled out his hand. Zoisite watched the movement expected a gun. He's muscles unwound when he saw the man's hand come up empty. Jedite smirked at the man's obvious wariness. "I know you have experience getting through our security, but we thought we had plugged all the holes."

Jed began to unbutton his coat. His thumb flicked the first button open. "Did you come this time for the girl who's running around in here? Surely, you didn't send her in here all alone."

The general studied the man's eyes as he worked his second button free. "I thought after your last escapade into our walls you would have thought twice coming back. If I remember correctly, Malachite filled you full of holes."

"This time I'm the one with the gun," Zoisite growled.

"Sure, sure," Jed chuckled. "You've got the gun. You're going to win this round, right?"

Another button. "But what about her?"

Jedite watched the man's marginally stiffen. He inwardly grinned. "Will you win that round? Will save her?"

"Don't know," Zoisite cocked his head. "I could save time by ending this inquiry with a bullet to your head."

"And I could have taken you down by bringing a security team with me, but I didn't. Just like you didn't kill me back at my house. Just like you aren't going to shoot me now."

* * *

Hotaru's throat grew raw with her sobs. She was pushing all of her strength into the foggy glass of her Aunt Michelle's tank. Her gift was pouring out of her and directly into the expansion of glass. It was a dangerous move. Her control was still slipping which was terrifyingly evident with the bodies out in the hallway. Yet, she could think of no other option to save the dying woman across the room.

The child placed all attention into working her gift. Right before her aunts disappeared, Hotaru had gained some discipline in managing her powers, but it was sadly still unruly in her grip. Regardless, she pressed her gift into the glass like she had done with the flowers during her discipline training. She closed her eyes and envisioned black hands ripping the glass apart from the inside. The veins of the glass cracked under the pressure of her gift. Hotaru gritted her teeth when her gift tried to charged pass the glass's skin. It was hungry for more than the lifeless structure. The molecules within broke apart quickly. Hotaru cracked her eyelids open and she saw the chamber buckle. There were web-like cracks extending from both her palms. Hotaru hastily pulled the reins on her gift when the glass bulged outwards.

As the loud creaks began, Hotaru hastily stepped to the side, barely escaping the waterfall of glass shards and gallons of water. The smile on her face grew as the entire glass pane collapsed. Michelle's limp body slowly sunk to the bottom of the chamber. The mask and IV strained against the pressure. Hotaru hurried over, splashing through the stretching puddle.

The water sloshed up against the unconscious nurse's body. The wave splashed against her face, waking the woman. Her eyelids fluttered and Ami slowly came back to the prison room. There was a lack of color in her vision, but she hardly noticed. She was too disoriented from the sensation of water lapping against her side.

The little girl hopped over the edge of tank and dropped into the circle of steel that had previously held the glass. Michelle was curled into a disorganized heap with her head resting against the rim. Her left arm was half in the air due to the tube attached to her wrist. Stepping forward, Hotaru carefully removed the needle from her aunt's wrist followed by the oxygen mask. She clutched her teal head against her chest. Michelle's soaked hair was plastered to the girl's thin shirt, soaking her. Hotaru didn't give it any notice and shook her aunt's shoulder. "Aunt Michelle? Aunt Michelle?"

Slowly, the older woman's long eyelashes drew open. A couple of blinks and her eyes focused on the face smiling down at her. She surprised to hear her voice so hoarse escape her chapped lips. "H-Hotaru?"

Hotaru thought she had run out of tears so she was surprised when a new wave flooded her eyes. "How do you feel, Aunt Michelle?"

Michelle closed her eyes and exhaled. "Heavy…"

Her eyebrows pinched together when the alarm grew louder in her dull ears. "What's that noise?"

"The alarm," Hotaru rushed out, wiping back Michelle's hair from her pale face. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Enough of it," Michelle croaked. She weakly slung her arm to the floor and forced her shoulders from the girl's arm. She took a few more deep breaths before studying the dark walls. "I don't remember this room."

Her head swung back to the small child with a worried expression, "What are you doing here, Hotaru? And in only a night gown?"

"They stole me, too," Hotaru whimpered. "But it's okay. Ami—"

Her eyes became as wide enough to swallow a full tire. "Oh my gosh!"

She bolted from her Aunt's side and scrambled over to the fallen woman she had forgotten. As she slid onto her knees, Hotaru hunched over the nurse. Ami feebly reached for her and Hotaru grabbed the woman's bloody hand. Ami's eyes glazed over before quickly refocusing on the child's smiling face.

"You're okay," Hotaru half-sobbed.

Ami's vision blurred and she saw a flash of green or blue. Eyes drifting down she saw the hair was connected to an oval face and pink lips. The intern was sinking deeper into the ground. It was like she was sinking into her grave. "Y-Yea."

She felt so empty. Had all the blood disappeared from her body? It felt like it.

"Ami, don't fall asleep!" Michelle commanded.

Ami was surprised to find her eyes closed. She willed them back open and found a world of dancing, gray lines.

"So tired," she slurred. "Too much blood…"

"She needs a doctor, Auntie."

Ami felt warm hands pressed down on her arm. She shivered at how cold her body had become. Were her organs freezing? Ami peeled her eyelids back, but lost all matter of mind. The blood had receded from her brain.

"She's too weak." Michelle gripped the torn muscle with her hands, trying to hold together what was left of the woman's forearm. She couldn't believe what she had woken up to find. She tossed back her wet mane and stared down at the battered woman with mounting hysteria. Michelle had barely enough energy to crawl across the room and now she had found her dear friend breathing her last ragged breath. "We can't take the chance in moving her."

"It's okay," Ami breathed, her eyes mere slits. Her chest was barely moving. "I was p-prepared for this."

The young woman began gasping loudly, eyes screwed shut into a painful expression. Hot white pain was ripping through her chest and stretching down all the way to the ripping sensation in her side. She was tearing apart in one last rip.

Hotaru's heart was pounding faster and faster as she the woman twisted in excruciating pain. The heart wrenching image was very similar to her parents' death. She crawled closer, pressing up against the bleeding woman's side. Hotaru was a complete mess with blood and water soaking through her night shirt and jean jacket. She swung her teary face up to her aunt in desperation. "Aunt Michelle, you have to help her?"

Michelle's blue eyes were pained. "My gift is for water, Hotaru. There's no way I can heal her injury."

Hotaru began to sob again, regardless that it burned her throat so bad. Her thin fingers wrapped into the older woman's shirt feeling completely helpless. _'Dear god, please don't take her away.'_

She barely knew the nurse. They had only met each other once before this time, but she knew enough about her to know she didn't deserve to die, especially like she was. The petite woman had gone through lengths to save her and her foster family. Hotaru didn't want to stack another death to her list.

Hotaru's brown eyes stared down at the mess of ripped tissue and blood. She could sense the life slipping out the wound and across the room. It was a warm like sunshine and it grazed her knees. At the beginning, it had been a steady current, but it had begun to slow and sputter. The dark flow of her gift crept across the tiles and began to hungrily devour the essence flowing out of the woman. The dark beast that was her gift hadn't gotten much of a meal from destroying the glass. Hotaru shivered when she felt the essence fill her bloodstream.

It turned up its head with a mouthful of life in its jaws. Empty eye sockets were staring at her, but she did not cringe from it. She had seen the image of the paper-thin creature since her early years of childhood.

Involuntarily, her small hands covered her aunt's hands. Michelle did not relax her grip for fear of releasing the blood flow, but she was startled nonetheless when Hotaru covered her hands. Michelle went to speak, but the question died. Underneath the child's palms, a bright purplish, glow grew. Michelle and Hotaru were both transfixed as the light steadily intensified, peeking through the cracks of her thin fingers.

"Hotaru? What are you doing?"

The child grimaced, "I'm trying to stop the flow."

_'The flow?'_ Michelle tried to lift her hands, but they were locked in place by the force covering them. Her eyes darted to the girl. "Hotaru, don't!"

Ami stared up at the white face hovering overhead. There was a strange sensation taking over her body. While she was fully prepared to slip away, her ebbing soul was being restrained. The solidarity of the senses came rushing back to her and breathing became less of a chore. She regained feeling in her toes and fingers as a smile began to grow on her face. "H-Hotaru?"

"It's alright," Hotaru softly insisted. "Everything will be alright."

"But what are you doing?" Michelle rushed.

Hotaru watched the life creep back into Ami's flesh. Instead of life pouring out of the woman, her life became anchored once more to her body.

Death only came when the soul lost its link to the physical body. That's how Hotaru understood death. She had watched the life leap from people's flesh more that a dozen times. Once the soul lost all connection with a person's body a permanent stillness settled on the body. The familiar stillness, or peace, was the mark of death in the material world. To Hotaru, however, death did not end a person. Hotaru saw the minutes after the stillness when the soul drifted away from the fleshy shell. She could see the life drifting away and pool at her feet. She would stare down at it and watch with a hollowness in her chest as the beast, she had come to call the Grim (short for Grim Reaper), swallowed up the life flow.

Her gift's ability was that it could draw life out of a perfectly healthy person. It wasn't that it would form a disease or stop a heart by the Grimm's will. In other words, it did not create a catalyst to encourage death to proceed inside the person. No, the Grim would, instead, suck or rip the life out of the shell, tearing apart the inner functions. To a doctor, it looked like a sudden heart attack or a misdiagnosed disease, but they could not see the beast dragging the soul out of the body and ending the animation of the flesh. They could not see the heart frantically trying to beat seconds before the soul broke its connection. They could not see the liver collapsing under the strain. Hotaru could see everything. She saw the bodies' inners suffering from the clawing, ripping nature of the beast. Once the body had gone still, the doctor's could only explain the unforeseen death as a biological cause, not a supernatural. Doctors were not about supernatural factors.

Thus, Hotaru had drifted into wonder as she seen the life flowing out of her friend's wounds. If her gift had the power to pull and carry souls, could it do more? Could it anchor them to the flesh? Could the Grim force death to wait?

She wasn't sure how the Executioner worked. She didn't know it rules. But she wasn't about to let her friend die because she wasn't willing to risk trying to save her life.

"I'm trying to keep her soul anchored," Hotaru finally admitted to her aunt. The beast crept up beside the child. It's empty eye sockets watched the stirring life beneath her hands. "There's a chance…a slim chance."

"A chance?" Michelle whispered delicately, hopefully.

"Yes," Hotaru breathed. The light reflected in the pupil of her eyes. She could feel the life trying to break away from Ami's body. The tattered flesh wasn't enough to hold it. The soul kept spilling out of the holes in her arm and sides. Hotaru frantically tried harder to bind Ami's soul to her body. She pushed it into the woman's skin. The Grim nipped at the flowing spirit, herding it back into the unconscious woman. Slowly, the Grim reached forward with claw-like hands and gently cupped a puddle of life. Hotaru was filled with awe as she watched the violent beast push the life back into Ami. Then, his razor fingers reached out and began to sew the woman's soul to her fading heartbeat. The Grim worked diligently under the child's watch.

Michelle could no longer feel blood pumping out from under her fingers. She stared down and saw red covering her hands, but it only looked like stained skin. "I don't think she's bleeding anymore."

"Really?" Hotaru became excited. "It must be working."

"Hotaru, I don't understand."

Ami's eyes fluttered open, again. She blinked slowly, taking in the sensation of floor against her back. She no longer felt a sense of drifting or emptiness. _'What's going on?'_

The Grim finished a final stitch. It was a weak bond, but it was keeping her soul anchored. At least it was giving her more time. Hotaru curled her hands off her aunt's hands, the light dying as she moved. Michelle stiffened. After a hesitant minute, she removed her hold around the intern's tattered arm. Ami's limb was still a mess of flesh and broken muscle, but blood wasn't pouring out.

"That's impossible," Michelle whispered. "She should be bleeding to death."

Hotaru cupped Ami's cheeks. "It's doesn't matter. She's alive."

"But how, Hotaru?" Michelle pressed up against her foster child. They both anxiously watched Ami's consciousness float to the surface. "How did you do it?"

"I told you. I anchored her soul to the body. For now, it will keep her alive. I guess she stopped bleeding as a side effect."

"Side effect?" Michelle wondered. Ami carefully began to rise off the floor. Her body ached all over. She took deep, steady breaths as she sat up. She saw her friend's familiar blue eyes and unconsciously smiled.

"Michelle," she mumbled happily. "Are you alright?"

The violinist grinned back, "That's my question."

Ami coughed, "I'm doing alright."

"Covered in blood and an arm ripped to threads is alright?" Michelle gave a wet chuckle. She grabbed her friend's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thanks for coming for us, Ames."

The nurse leaned heavily on the violinist's shoulder. Her heart twisted violently as she looked up into the woman's shadowed eyes. "I'm sorry for getting you captured. I should have been more careful."

Michelle tucked the woman tighter against her side. Her face had become wet. "No one could have known. Even Trista did not foresee it. There's no one to blame."

Ami shook her head. _'But I was still the reason you walked into their hands.'_

She looked to the quiet tanks holding the other two women. They remained unaware of their surroundings.

"We need to get the girls and get out of here," Ami forced her limbs to move under her. "I don't know how long we have."

Nodding, Michelle tugged on the other woman's shirt. "You wearing something under this shirt?"

"Yea. I got shirt and a tank. Why?"

Michelle pulled the long sleeve shirt over her friend's blue crown. "The bleeding might have quit, but I want to cover the wounds to be safe. You might start bleeding again."

The nurse didn't argue. She was surprised she hadn't thought about tending to her massive injuries. She watched Michelle rip her favorite blue shirt in half and tie the bandage around her fore arm. After her side was also bandaged, Michelle and Ami gingerly stood, leaning against each other for mutual support. Hotaru fluttered around the pair. She was fearful one of them would collapse any moment. They both were horrible condition and she had no idea how long the bond on Ami's soul would last. They needed to get her to a doctor. The violinist pointedly stared at the pair of tanks. "I've got this."

The water swirled inside the tanks. The tubes and the women's hair were yanked violently around. Bubbles whirled around their wet suits and suddenly the monitors on the side of their tanks began to scream. The glass shattered and white froth sputtered out through the cracks. It wasn't long before the shards were flung through the air from the pressure.

Hotaru splashed through the stretching pool. She quickly detached the ladies from the machines and tried to shake them awake. Michelle and Ami edged over to the tanks. Hotaru was hovering over Trista when the seer awoke. "Already?"

The girl frowned. "What?"

"Nothing." The seer looked over to the pair standing behind the girl. She met their worried eyes with the same calm expression she always wore. "I'm glad to see you again, Ami."

"Right back at you, Tris."

* * *

Zoisite groaned when he slammed into the wall. Clenching his jaw, he hastily wiped the blood away from the cut on his forehead. He pushed off the wall and launched at the general. Jedite blocked the swing and brought a hard uppercut into the man's sternum. The wind was momentarily knocked out of the man and his shoes slipped on the tiles. Zoisite swayed.

Jedite spat blood onto the floor. He circled the rising man and gave a dark glare. "I've been wondering what sort of man you were since that day you came to my rubble of a home."

Zoisite abruptly swung a punch, clipping the edge of the opposing fighter's chin. He grinned when the general stumbled back. "I was thinking what kind of a coward would shove a gun in a defenseless woman's face."

Jed launched forward. They exchanged a dozen or so punches and kicks. Sweat sprayed through the air followed by red spots. The heels of Jed's palm cracked together and the general pushed a black swell into his cupped hands. Zoisite's jade eyes turn black when they reflect the light of the general's gift. Zoisite was barely able to dodge the energy bullet and his cheek was scraped. His side crashed into the wall.

He shook off the pain and glared at the grinning general. Jed's grin faltered, however, when he saw the red scratches on the fighter's cheek grow thin. His jaw tightened. "A healing gift. Nice, but not helpful in a scrap."

Zoisite shook his head as the last of the red faded. He tossed back his ponytail and shuffled his feet. He faked a punch and kicked out the general's legs. Jed twisted his frame and caught his fall on one hand. With a powerful twist of his wrist, he kicked his feet against the nearest wall and rolled off his handstand. He landed on his heels and shot another ball of black energy.

Zoisite spun out its path and lifted his palm. Jedite was surprised to feel the air rush into his dirty face. His mouth opened, an instinctive response, before a hurricane blast threw him backward. The general's elbow cracked against the concrete wall and he howled in agony. Zoisite took advantage of his disorientation and rammed the heel of his fist into the man's temple. Jedite groaned loudly as his face hit the floor. His head lolled to the side. Zoi panted heavily, "Seems I didn't need it."

He whirled around, prepared to run off and find his girl. He came up short; however, when he came face to face with a man he had never met. He had dark, short hair and piercing bluish-brown eyes. Zoisite couldn't get pass the pristine tuxedo the man was wearing to notice the tiniest of glints in his eyes. "Who are you?"

* * *

"The vitamin supplements and the caffeine pills should be enough to get you jump started," Ami instructed, pushed the containers back into her pack.

Amara grimaced when she swallowed the pills. She didn't like taking something without water. She slicked back her wet bangs and gave the nurse a pointed look. "We've been in here for two months. I'm ready to rip down walls without these vitamins."

Michelle rolled her eyes at her cousin blatant disregard for their friend's help. "Are the rest of the girls inside the base somewhere, Ami?"

The intern had her face downturn so she could fish through the contents of her pack. It was a good thing because she had involuntarily flinched at the question. She knew they would ask about the girls. She knew she had to play the game with a perfect poker face, or else Amara, the ultimate player, would uncover her plans.  
Ami extracted a couple of magazines from her pack. She tossed the empty cartridge from her gun and reloaded the weapon. "Yea, they're working security at the moment."

"I've never seen you with a gun, Ames," Michelle commented. Ami met her expression with an even stare. Everyone's eyes were on her. She glanced to Trista, wondering if she knew. "Things must be pretty bad."

Ami held out the gun to Amara's passive figure. The blonde took the gun stiffly.

"It is," Ami replied darkly. Her arm ached horribly and she pressed it tighter against her hip. She kept her face blank so they wouldn't know how badly off she was. "That's why the agenda is to get you girls out asap. I'm going to distract security on these two levels while you escape. The plan is to regroup at a house an hour outside of the town."

"You can't take this all on your own, Ames," Trista stated emotionlessly. Her blue eyes met with her scarlet ones. She could read between the lines passing through the seer's stare. She knew what she was planning. Ami wondered if she planned to speak out.

"I'll head out after a finish my part," Ami responded firmly. She wiped the sweat off her brow. Amara's eyes narrowed on the intern. Ami met her studying look with one of indifference. "I have to be the last one out. I have to plant a bomb to blow up this base."

Amara's ice blue eyes widened. "What?"

"You can't be serious," Michelle started. "None of us have killed a person, let alone tear down an entire base filled with innocent people."

"I wish there was time to explain everything, Michelle, but there's not" Ami rushed out. "Things are like worse than a simple kidnapping. These guys are ready to do more than kill our small circle. They have supernatural gifts like us and their aiming for big winnings."

Michelle hugged Hotaru under her chin, "How big?"

"Too big." Ami stood unsteadily. She offered two full mags to the armed blonde. Her eyes went towards the ice cube hiding in the shadows. The women followed her gaze and started when they saw the black creature encased in the blue and white prison.

"Dear god," Trista breathed. "That's one of them?"

Hotaru looked to the intern, wondering what the man's connection had been to her savior. The bits and pieces f their conversation during the fight had been inconclusive to the small girl. She saw hurt fill the nurse's blue eyes. "He was the one who filled me full of holes. He's a prime example of the men working this base."

The women grew silent as the entirety of their situation sank into their brains. Ami smiled sadly and threw the strap of her bag back over her shoulder. "Head left out of this room. You run into a four-way intersect. Take the right hall and you'll hit an elevator. It will lead to a back door and that will get you out the base. You run into a small security post, but you can handle the one guard easily."

The girls turned around. Ami held out her car keys, which Michelle took.

"From there follow the road to a one way street. Head down it and you run into Serena's jeep in a parking lot a few blocks down on the right. You should be able to spot it in the row closest to the street. Under the front seat, I hid a map that highlights the way back to the house where we will meet."

Amara lifted her glare, "You can't handle this in the condition you're in. One of us will stay behind with you."

"No," Ami snapped. "You have to get out. I might be injured, but you guys have been comatose for weeks. You're energy will run out very quickly. Trust me on that one. You need to get to the jeep before you drop."

She began to walk towards the door. Her heart was pounding though she kept her movement rigid. She couldn't let them see her fear and doubts. She had to get them out and get Zoisite out before she planted the bomb. As it was, she was already late on her progress. She had planned some extra time, but she didn't want to dance on the edge of the time clock.

"Don't worry," Ami said with a warmer tone. "Lita's a few halls down. I'm going to regroup with her and plant the bomb with her help."

She edged up to the doorframe and checked the hall for security. Seeing no one, she turned back around to the women who had crept up beside her. She met each of their stares with a fake smile. "Don't worry. Everything is going according to plan. All we have to do is plant the bomb and hightail it out."

Michelle nodded to the earphone still pressed into Ami's left ear. "Are you in contact with the girls?"

_'She doesn't know it's a security radio.'_ Ami's forced her expression to stay soft. Amara was staring at her too intently. "Yea, they each are doing alright so far. That's why its imperative we get out before something goes wrong."

Hotaru jerked at the woman's response. She knew that was a security radio. Why had Ami said otherwise? Hotaru tried to ask her, but when Ami saw her open her mouth, she hurried up and spoke before she could. "You've got thirty minutes to get out of base. It should only take you fifteen. Do you remember the directions I gave you?"

Amara frowned. She didn't like being out of such an important fight. "Yes."

Hotaru tired to pull out of her guardian's arms. "But Ms. Ami—"

"Then, get going," Ami instructed. "I'll make sure security keeps busy long enough for you to get out."

She looked squarely at the small child. "But you have to promise me you will get out in less than thirty minutes."

Hotaru's jaw flapped open. She remembered her savior's previous command. _'I'll protect you, but you promise to do as I say. Will you promise me that, Hotaru?'_

Her mouth closed slowly.

Ami's smile grew when she saw the girl yield. At the same time, the nurse's heart sobbed. "I'll see you guys back at the house."

"Promise?" Hotaru exclaimed with teary eyes. She studied the woman's eyes, wondering what those shadows within those blue depths meant.

"Of course," Ami replied gently. She gripped her second gun and withdrew it from its holster. Offering the four a smirk, she proceeded out into the hall with her finger on the trigger. Her feet stopped two feet pass the circular desk when she saw the male figure in a long coat standing down the length of hall. She was grateful to see the figure was standing down the end to the right of her. The girls could still make their exit. Ami gingerly squared her shoulders and faced the white-haired general. She saw his blue eyes watching her with steel gaze. _'Crap.'_

Ami heard the feet shuffling behind her. She gritted her teeth, and with her eyes never leaving the man's face, she spoke softly through the side of her mouth. "Hurry and go. I'll keep him busy."

Michelle started towards her. "Ami—"

"Get out of here," the intern curtly interrupted. "I don't have the time or the energy to carry all of you out of this base when you collapse from exhaustion. Go while there's a chance."

Trista bit down on her tongue and swept Hotaru up into her arms. She nodded to her partners. The cousins shared a look before tearing pass the seer. They didn't look back. Trista study the woman's back. Ami could feel her eyes on her and she wondered what she was thinking as looked at her. _'Do you see what I planned to do? Do you know I'm ready to die for all of you?'_

"Thank you, Ami." Trista whispered before sprinted down the hall to catch up with her teammates. The nurse swallowed back a sob.

_'You're welcome.'_ She studied the general's cool expression. His gaze darted pass her shoulder, watching the women disappear around a corner.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" Ami half-yelled.

Malachite shifted his weight. His hands were shoved in his coat pockets, but he looked ready to launch at her throat. Her muscles twitched under her marred skin. She swallowed and found her throat was dry as a desert.

"They were never important," Malachite's calm voice reached her ears and made her involuntarily flinch. She couldn't believe how terrified of this man she was. She had yet to see his full fighting potential, and she was terrified that she had lost the final straw in her plan.

Suddenly, the earpiece buzzed against her ear. _"Security Team 5 to mainframe. We've acquired one of the intruders. It's the blonde male from weeks ago."_

Ami's heart stopped. _'Double crap.'_

* * *

**_A/N: Man...Talk about cliffhanger. Hehehehehehe...  
_**


	26. Funeral Procession

_**A/N: I'm jumping up and down after finishing this chapter. I can't wait to hear your responses!**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 26: Funeral Procession_

* * *

Unknowingly, Ami counted each deep breath she took. Her eyes were set on the general, but her gun was aimed at the ground. Her arm and side were throbbing. She was lucky her left arm had been the one injured. If Greg had gotten a hold of her right arm she wouldn't have been able to grip her gun. _'Not that it matters. A gun won't work on this one. At least, I doubt it will.'_

Ami swallowed anxiously. Her bad arm was pressed against her good hip. It felt awkward because her arm was three times thicker with the shirt wrapped around it. Plus, both shirts she was wearing was bothering her skin with the way the crusted blood kept scrapping along her abs. The bloody fingers attached to the tattered arm clenched and unclenched with each wave of pain. Ami tried to find signs of what the man was thinking. He had yet to move.

_'This second wind won't last long,'_ Ami decided, digging her heels into the tiles. _'My first move has to be my last move. It has to work without fail or I'm royally screwed.'_

Her fingers tightened on the gun. Malachite only blinked at the movement.

_'What is he waiting for? For me to move first?'_

Her fingers flexed against the bloody shirt. She had counted up to twenty.

_'I have to let him move first. Whoever moves first looses the advantage. There's no way I can get to him by charging. He'll warp the floor like last…'_ An idea lit up in her brain. Her bloody fingers flexed against her jean pocket. _'There's a fifty-fifty chance. Well, actually the chance is more like eighty-twenty, but it will be tricky.'_

"I'm not giving you the Crystal," Ami spoke harshly, egging his arrogance. His eyes darkened considerably.

"If those bloody clothes are any hint of your present condition, then I highly doubt you are in a position to deny me anything." His thumb caressed the heel of his holstered gun. "Least of all the Crystal."

Ami held back a second snappy remark. Her fingers ever so carefully inched towards her pocket, praying he didn't see the movement. She twisted the wrist that was connected to the gun, trying to divert his attention. It worked. His eyes darted down to her gun and she snuck her fingers into the pocket. Again she was lucky she had left the items in her left pocket, else she wouldn't be able to sneak a reach.

She blinked, and when her eyelids snapped back open she saw him charging straight at her. She bit back a scream as her fingers wrapped around two round objects. She shuffled back to stall the coming punch she saw. She bite down on her tongue and ripped her hand from her pocket. He caught the movement and she felt the ground rippled beneath her shoes. In seconds, her ankles were locked in tile cuffs, but it didn't matter. Smirking, she let the punch hit her square in the stomach.

Whether he had missed the smirk or not, the general towered over the hunched woman. He knocked the gun from her grip with growing satisfaction. She didn't mind. He had failed to see her other hand swinging forward. Something hot hit his lower abdominals, making his mouth part in an audible gasp of surprise. Ami forced her hand hard against his stomach and pressed the two stones left from Zoisite's box against the general. She felt one of the two stones begin to sink into his coat. Malachite looked down with expression rarely drawn on his face. He looked down with anxiety as the woman's hands peeled away from his abs and a jade stone dropped to the floor with a loud clink. The alabaster stone had disappeared into his body. A white-hot sensation stretched through his body and overwhelmed his senses. There was a sudden onslaught of flashes like cameras shooting off in his eyes. He never realized he was falling, even when his body hit the floor.

Ami sighed in relief when she saw the man's eyes roll into the back of his head. She glared down at the cuffs constricting her ankles, and angrily covered them in a thick layer of ice. Her teeth began to chatter when the harsh drop of temperature reached her tailbone. Bending down, she slammed her fist against the cuff, cracking the solid hold. Minutes later, she kicked off the ankle bracelets and stumbled over to the remaining jade stone and her gun. Picking them both up, she replaced the stone in her pocket and her finger on the trigger. She stepped over the unconscious figure with a heady air. "That was a little quicker than I thought it would be."

Ami jogged back to the circular desk. She had been willing to scrounge the halls, but raiding the computer archives for a floor map would be three times faster. She spun around the edge of the desk and dropped into the roller chair. The wheels slid her in front of the keyboard. She eagerly grabbed the mouse and began to dig through the computer. She pulled open a search program and entered the word: _map._ The software began to race through file names inside the computer's hard drive for the word.

As she waited for the search engine to finish scanning the files, Ami pull her pack into her lap. She shuffled through the contents for her true prize. Finding the Ziploc bags of dry chemicals, she froze. The significance of their presence made her mind retract to old memories.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_"Ami, what are you all dressed up for?" Rei gazed over the rim of her World Economics book. Three other heads popped up around the table, eyes lit with curiosity. Blushing, Ami froze in the kitchen archway. _

_"I'm going to a study group at the coffee house," she replied smoothly. She turned slightly to give them a view of her backpack. Rei's eyebrow rose regardless of the bag. _

_"What class are you studying for?" Mina reached across the table for one of Lita's chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. The brunette quickly smacked her roommate's hand away from her treat. _

_"Advanced Calculus," she replied, reaching forward pass the brunette's shoulder and snagging the same cookie Mina had failed to grab. Lita tried to snatch back her treat, but Ami scrambled backwards out of her friend's reach. Ami hastily bit into the cookie right before Lita lunged and yanked the half-eaten cookie from her fingers. Ami grinned with her mouth full. "We have a midterm this Friday."_

_Rei placed her book down on the table. Ami grew nervous as the priestess gave her scrutinizing stare and put her chin into her palm. "Aren't those you're 'date' jeans, Ames?"_

_That really gained the faltering attention of her roommates. Mina leaned backwards in her chair and studied the nurse's jeans. "Those are!"_

_Ami bit the inside of her cheek. "My other jeans are in the wash."_

_The nurse inwardly cursed when she remembered Serena had folding laundry with her yesterday afternoon. The blonde waitress began to excitedly bounce in her seat. Her pigtails bounced with her. It was a rare day to catch Ami in a lie. "You did laundry yesterday."_

_Lita spun in her seat. Her green eyes were sparkling with a mischievous smirk. "Wait, isn't that guy Greg in your Calculus class?"_

_"Guy?" Mina chirped happily. Ami could already see the familiar twinkle of the matchmaker queen building in the woman's face. _

_Ami inwardly rolled her eyes. "It's a study group."_

_Mina tossed back her golden mane, "How many people will be there?"_

_Ami nervously shifted. "Two."_

_Lita's face split into a wide smile, "Including you?"_

_Ami didn't bother with that answer. She spun on her heel and hurried to the front door. She made sure to yell over her shoulder a loud goodbye. "I'll be back around eleven. And, no, it's not a date!"_

_The girls squealed with laughter inside the kitchen when they heard the front door close._

* * *

_-Present-_

Ami looked back into the dark room. She could vaguely make out the shape of the ice mass containing the same man she had sought to impress that night. She couldn't comprehend the man from back then becoming the man that had tried to kill her today. She was tempted to believe his gift had destroyed his mind. It made him still important in her heart, and not some traitor to her feelings. Her arm told her to forget him, but the soft ache meant only for him was still in her heart. It had been there since he had broke up with her.

_'No matter what he still left you.' _She turned her back to him. The computer was still searching the hard drive. Ami put her aching arm into a more comfortable position. _'Is it possible that since Greg is part of the NVerse that he was also in my past life?'_

The memory of someone killing her in the past came to mind, immediately.

_'Could he have been the one who killed me?'_

She had never seen the face of her killer, but she was sure the person had been a man. The hand that held the hilt of the dagger had been too thick for a female. She remembered that much at least.

_"Mainframe to security team 4. Move captured intruder to the top floor."_

Ami was unhappy to her the radio request. It was going to be hard to get Zoisite out of the base if they put him on the top floor. _'As if it's not a tough enough task to get Zoisite to leave me behind. To get out of here, we'll have to go down nine floors.'_

_"Security team 4 to Mainframe, should intruder be presented to CEO?"_

Ami couldn't believe what she heard. There was a CEO in the base. Not all representatives could be found at the base of operations for corporations. _"Luna said there was a champion and a leader of the NVerse. Could the CEO be one of them?"_

_"To security team 4, confirm. Bring intruder immediately."_

Ami shook her head with a weary frown. _'S—'_

The computer abruptly finished its search and displayed a list of files. She hastily scanned the list with her eyes and began opening files. A few minutes later, she was studying a three-dimensional map of the entire base. She began to click on random rooms before she noticed a list of main rooms in the top, left portion of the map. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the word: _Power Room._

She clicked on the icon and the map swiveled towards the designated portion. A large rectangle began to flash red, indicating the room. "Ground floor. Near the north end of the base."

Next, she scrolled the map up to the top floor. There were a limited number of rooms contributing to the level. Most were rather small and insignificant names save one that was situated at the center of the map. Her eyes quickly went to that room. It was the largest she had seen in the entire map. It was actually three times as large as the power room. It was also a circular shape with four doors built along half of the room. On the opposing half there was a huge black oval covering the room. She hadn't seen anything like it anywhere else on the map. Sadly, there weren't any symbols or words to indicate what the black shape meant. Confused, but not undone, she looked towards the room's title. She was daunted to see the title. _Throne Room._

She pulled back. _'Is that some sort of joke?'_

Whether or not it was, didn't matter. The room was the only possible place the CEO would be at a time like this. The offices surrounding the room had been for lower officials, including one of them that had the general's name for a title. The CEO wouldn't be in someone else's office. If he were on the top floor, he would be in one of the larger rooms. He had to be in the throne room.

Ami exited the programs, and leapt from the desk. She would have to chance the stairs as her route to the next levels. It would take too long to get in and out the elevator like she had done earlier. She would just have to pray that she didn't run into too many guards.

_"Security team 3 to Subject Cellblock. Repeat. Security team 3 to Subject Cellblock." _

Ami started to run down the hall.

_"Security team 3 responding."_

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_Lita and Ami looked up from their books when the lights blinked out overhead. Ami grimaced when she heard something crash upstairs. Rei had been cleaning her room, last she remembered. _

_"Serena, did you forget to mail the electricity bill, again?" Rei shouted. _

_"Um…"_

_"SERENA!"_

_Lita rolled her eyes while Ami held back a laugh. The brunette snapped her fingers and one by one the bulbs within the two-story home flickered back on. _

_"Serena, get on the phone right now and call the electric company!" Lita roared. "I'm not keeping the house lit. I going see a movie in a half-hour!"_

_"Sorry!" the girl yelled from her room._

* * *

-Present-

Ami flung the door open and spilled out onto the basement level one floor. After checking for guards, she scanned the wall for a vent duct. Seeing one, she raced over and began to quickly work the screws loose off the cover. Once that was done, she ripped off the cover and threw her bag to the floor.

_"Security team 3 to mainframe. Subjects six, seven, and eight-of-nine have escaped."_

"Crap!" Ami swore as she hastily placed the empty coffee cans upright on the floor. She next pulled the Ziploc bag of chemicals from the bag. "I thought I had a little longer."

Her hands were shaking when she mixed the dry chemicals in the cans. She was shaking so bad that some of the chemicals spilled onto the gray tiles. She ignored the spill for the moment and finishing dumping the last chemical: grounded fertilizer. Once that was done she shoved the self-made bombs into the duct. She swept up most of the spilled powder into the shadowy vent, but being pressed for time she did a sloppy job. Last, she replaced the cover, making sure to put the screws back into place.

_"Alert level six! Full-scale search of all floors! Repeat. Alert level six! Full-scale search of all floors!"_

She pushed off the floor and ran back to the stairwell. There was only the tiniest of brown fertilizer to indicate she had ever been there. As she went to open the door leading back into the stairwell, she saw a red switch with a glass panel cover. There was nothing to indicate it was a fire alarm. Hoping it was only a security alarm, she yanked off the panel and pulled the hefty switch. A small red bulb flashed under the switch and the screaming alarm overhead hesitated a second before resuming its blaring pattern.

Ami shoved into the stairwell. _'That should peak their curiosity long enough to give Amara and the others enough time to get out.'_

* * *

Amara rammed a hard punch into the guard's stomach. He involuntarily hunched over, giving her the perfect target for a good kick in the chin. The guard soon crumbled to the pavement at her feet.

The racer rotated her shoulders. They ached from lack of practice. She stepped over the man and walked over to the heavy gate. Trista followed her with Hotaru in her arms, but Michelle diverted her path over to the guard's tiny post. She stepped inside and scanned the contents. A couple of televisions connected to outside security cameras and several stacks of papers. There was also a shotgun propped beside the door.

Amara didn't notice where her cousin was until she had pulled the gate open. She scowled upon spotting her. "Michelle?"

Her blue eyes darted up upon her name. "I don't like this, Amara. Something isn't right about all this."

Trista turned when she stepped outside of the gate. Her and Hotaru stared at the pair. Amara gave a sharp nod to her cousin. "I know Ami didn't tell us everything, but we still got to go."

Michelle bit her lip. "But she might need help."

The racer sighed heavily. "We're no help to her. Can't you feel how exhausted we are?"

Michelle knew she was right, but she didn't like leaving her friends. Her blue eyes narrowed when she spotted a radio sitting on the table. Her hand reached for it.

"We have to go now, Michelle!"

Her cousin's voice stopped her hand inches from the radio. She regretfully pulled away and stepped out of the guard post. Amara waved her forward. "Michelle, we've already used seventeen minutes. If we turn back, we probably won't find her or the others before the bomb goes off."

Michelle hesitated. She kept thinking of the way Ami had avoided her eyes, and the way the woman's smile seemed too bright for such a dark mission. Her instincts told her to turn around and find the shy girl. Or at least find the other girls and get them to confess what was happening. Reluctantly, Michelle forced herself out of the post and walk towards her cousin. Amara let the teal woman go first and followed her out of the gate.

As the group of women wearing scuba suits headed down the street, Hotaru pressed her face into her aunt's neck. Tears began to pour from her face as she thought of the nurse's sad eyes.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_"Do you believe we were meant for something great, Serena?"_

_"Are you asking because of what happened today, Ames?"_

_"Well, if we hadn't of been there when the earthquake had hit that woman would have died under the rubble. Doesn't it feel like we were meant for something?"_

_"I don't know. I really don't think in that way."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Well, I often don't stop to think—"_

_"That's for sure."_

_"Shut up. What I was saying is I don't always stop and think 'that was meant to happen.' I just think 'I'm glad I was able to help' or 'I love having friends who are like me.'"_

_"How can you not think of destiny?"_

_"I just don't like the idea of not being in control. I know I'm not always in control of my life, but I hate to think my will, my soul is a complete puppet."_

_"I can understand that."_

_"That's why I don't worry about 'what ifs.' I hate to sound corny—"_

_"No offense, but you often do."_

_"Again, I'll repeat. Shut up. I don't like to think in 'what ifs,' but 'what is.'"_

* * *

-Present-

Ami was racing down one of the halls on the ground floor. She had barely missed two security teams. Lucky her, she was next to an unlock door each time and was able to duck inside before they had spotted her. She was exceptionally lucky today it seemed, and she was beginning to worry that things were too easy for her. Were they leading her into a trap?

_'There's no time to turn back,'_ she ran faster. Her hair slapped against her ears, making the wind snap. _'Just hurry.'_

With each stride, her arm screamed in protest. The jostling wasn't helping her injuries. She gasped lightly when a particular jarring step sent a wave of needles through her lower spine. She stumbled and collapsed against the wall. There was an odd shudder in her chest. The sensation sparked a spot of fear in her breast.

She thought about what Hotaru had done to her spirit. The child said it wouldn't last, but it would give her time. Did that mean once her soul broke through the bond, she would fall down dead? Ami sucked in a deep breath. Using her good arm, she pushed back into a run. There was no point in thinking on the matter. She had to get things done. She needed to get it done before her soul broke through the bond or the bomb went off.

Taking a left turn, she spotted a pair of double doors guarded by two men armed with rifles. One of the guards swiveled towards her, gun rising.

Five minutes later, she was standing over a third and fourth figure inside the double doors. She had another luck of the draw to have found only four guards at her destination. She didn't have the stamina to continually toss waves and frost blasts.

The room was enormous as should be expected. The generators stretched up to the second floor's roof. What surprised the intern was the fact that there were seven generators filling the vast room. She had thought three or four would be plenty to fund the electricity throughout the base. On the right wall there was a series of small television screens revealing black-and-white views of numerous rooms and halls throughout the base. There was a main screen in the center, which was three times larger than the surrounding screens. It was the main work monitor. On the opposing wall, there was a line of dials and a switch panel. From where Ami stood, she couldn't read the labels. She guessed they were for various portions of the base and specific rooms.

She strode purposefully towards the tall generators. She could hear the turbines behind the cylinders and knew there were hurricane fans keeping the generators cool. Edging up to the row, she dropped to her knees and pulled her backpack to the floor. Five new coffee cans were removed along with several more Ziploc bags of dry chemicals. Again she mixed the chemicals in the coffee cans with shaky hands. When they were finished, she scanned the room. Choosing the spot in front of the generators, she began pushing the cans as close as possible to the metal cylinders. Even from a few feet away, she could feel the heat radiating from the colossal machines. Regardless that cool air was washing over the mass of heat, Ami felt beads of sweat sliding down her face. She pushed the cans in place.

Pulling back, she stood and grabbed her bag. She, then, moved to the panel of dials and switches. Her index finger ran across the labels as she sped read. When she read, _"power room fans,"_ Ami eagerly yanked the switches to the off positions. The fan blades slowed and with it her heart. She took deep even breaths, working hard to keep her tears at bay. The last groan from the fan made her want to break inside. _'Once the heat rises high enough the chemicals will react, and the explosion will take down the top floors. The heat from the explosion should reach the bombs in the basement and tear apart the bottom half. And I will…'_

She pressed her arms against the dials. She told herself that she needed to keep moving. She needed to finish what she started. All she wanted to do though was curl up into a ball and cry. She wanted to give into all the hurt that had been buried in the depths of her heart since the first bad word spoken against her in grade school. She wanted to disappear right then. She wanted the bomb to swallow her.

'_You don't want to take him with you.'_ She opened her eyes. _'He doesn't deserve this. You know he's a wonderful man. You don't want to hurt him. He has a chance at a sunshine life with the perfect girl.'_

Ami blinked back her tears and resumed her determined, stony expression. She dropped her bag, letting it loudly hit the floor. She tightened her grip on her gun, making sure she still had it. As she turned to leave, her eyes stopped on a dial meant for the air conditioners. She narrowed her gaze before turning the heat on full blast on all six dials.

'_Just to make sure.'_ Ami pulled the screwdriver out of her pack and broke each dial face off the panel. The screwdriver clanked loudly against the tiles once it was tossed aside. She marched out of the room. _'I've got fifteen minutes. Twenty if he's as lucky as I've been today.'_

She hurried into a jog and went straight for the main elevators with only a gun in her hand and a stone in her pocket. Ami punched the top button and impatiently stood in front of the metallic russet doors. She inhaled deeply and stretched her leg muscles as she waited. She glanced down at her watch, making sure to mark the time. Her second alarm would go off in less than a half hour. By that time, the sedatives would have worn off the girls. Amara and the others would be halfway to the house, and Zoisite would be walking out of the city. Ultimately, the Negaverse would be rubble and she would have completed her duty to her friends and her uncrowned princess.

'_This is my honor,'_ she repeated. _'This is my choice.'_

The elevator dinged and she took a step forward. Suddenly, a gun shot to her left and she heard a sharp whistle behind her. She even felt the subtle stir of the hair on the back of her scalp. Ami leapt into the elevator. She nearly crashed into the wall inside. Gripping the rail, she swung forward and pressed the button for the top floor. She heard shouts and feet stomping towards her. Her heart jumped in her throat and she began to viciously punch _'close doors'_ button. With each pound of a foot hitting the outside tile, her heart grew smaller. _'He has to live. I can't let him die.'_

She gritted her teeth when the doors began to slide close. The feet were too close. They would get to her before the door fully closed. Ami stepped forward and dangled her arm out. She didn't dare peek for fear of getting killed, so she released a huge wave of sleet and ice blindly. She heard the rush of water, the crash of bodies, and angry shouts. Seconds before the doors hit her arm, she ripped her limb back inside and pressed her back to the wall. Her eyes closed with the doors and she let a shuddering breath out.

The elevator began to move upward. Ami bit her lip when she realized she was going to have a welcoming committee on the top floor. She flexed her empty hand. If there was any security guard near the elevator, all they had to do was press the button and the elevator would stop before she reached the right floor. She looked up at the top four-by-four door meant for maintenance workers. Pocketing her gun, she stepped forward and began jumping up and down to push the door open. Her fingers were able to push the door far enough to one side to prop it open. She prayed she didn't need to take the exit. It would be a difficult escape.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

"_Ami, you're so smart. Why not become a doctor instead of a nurse?"_

"_Well, I…"_

"_You would be awesome as both I'm sure, but I would have thought a doctor would be far more interesting to you."_

"_Well, I don't know."_

"_Sure, you do. You had to have made a choice on which one you wanted to be."_

"_I use to want to be a doctor."_

"_Why not now?"_

"_I just don't think I would be a good enough doctor."_

_Silence. "You've got to be kidding"_

"_No. I'm very serious, Lita."_

* * *

-Present-

She glanced at what level the elevator had passed. She still had three floors before she reached the top. Two floors. One floor. Her legs became tense as she readied for the worst. _'I'm coming, Zoi.'_

The elevator dinged. The doors pulled open and she saw a screen of guns pointed at her. A wall of ice immediately mounted in front of the security team, separating her from the guns. With careful concentration, she warped the shape into a tall oval with two handgrips like a shield. Ami pressed all her energy to making the wall thick enough to withstand the bullets. It took three seconds. She was panting heavily from the amount of energy flushed out of her system. Unsteadily, she reached forward and slid her arm into place. As each bullet drilled into her shield, she forced the ice to reform and push out the obstruction. Even though she was able to protect herself effectively, it was a lot for her mind and body to handle.

Gritting her teeth, she extracted the water molecules from the air. With her energy close to depletion, she forced a mist to veil the mass of bodies blocking her way. The smokescreen was barely thick enough for cover, but she didn't have anymore time or energy to bother. She made a mad dash out of the elevator. Right before she darted down the hall, she threw the shield into the mist of bodies and clouding vapors and followed the throw with half a round of bullets. As she raced down the hall, she heard bullets and screams ring behind her.

'_Don't look back. Keep running.'_ She pumped her legs harder, faster. _'Don't.'_

She slid around the nearest corner, and kept racing. She ran with all she had. She put the image of Zoisite's face in front of her, telling herself he would suffer the longer she took in reaching him. In seconds, she came to a fork and without much thought she sprinted down the corridor on the right. As she continued to run, she saw the wall had begun to circle on her left. She had reached the throne room a lot quicker than she had expected. She was thankful because it meant she would be able to save Zoisite.

Her joy faded, however, when she heard the silence following her. Surely, the mist should have dissolved by now and the security team should be after her. She should have the dogs nipping at her heels. Reluctantly, she trotted to a stop and checked the path she had left. She couldn't see very far down the line since the hall curved, but she heard enough silence to know no one was actually following her.

The dead air instantly told her that something was wrong. It had been too easy. It had all been too easy. Sure, she was covered in blood and ready to fall over, but she had still made her way throughout the base without much of a fight. Artemis had spoke of an army waiting for them. She had only counted enough men to comprise a regime.

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_"Rei, you said you dealt a lot with name calling in high school."_

_"Yea, it comes with my ability for fire readings and ESP. Its sort of a package deal."_

_"It's the same way with high intelligence."_

_"Serena told me you had a rough time in grade school."_

_"Did people ever call you…a freak, Rei?"_

_"Once or twice. Most of the time the kids preferred to call me a witch."_

_"Does it still hurt to hear it?"_

_"Not really. I got use to thinking karma would meet up with them or that they were simply brainless morons with nothing better to do."_

_"I wish I was more thick skinned like you."_

_"Does it still bother you when people call you names?"_

_"I keep thinking their right. That I wasn't meant to be here. That I was meant to be someone else, somewhere else."_

_"Ames—"_

_"But it isn't true, anyways? Normal people aren't meant for this type of power."_

* * *

-Present-

Nervously, Ami swallowed. Her empty hand joined the one clutching her gun. She studied the path back in front of her. Experience urged her to run, but her instincts told her she needed to be wary of what lied at the end of her path. Carefully, she walked forward with her gun half-raised. Every nerve was on edge, twitching beneath her skin.

There was an odd crawling sensation also in the air, pressing against her body. It made the hair on the back of neck stand on end. It was the same feeling she had when she had seen that creature in the spiritual realm. She could almost hear the same scrap of metal roar behind the wall.

When she spotted the door, she was relieved and frightened. It meant a beginning and end to her journey. Her eyes trailed over the pitched black surface with a silver downturn moon crescent. Looking down, she saw the handle was a crystal knob with black metal twisting around its crescent moon shape. She gingerly faced the door and grasped the cold handle. Her thumb softly pressed down on the button atop the handle and, upon taking a steadying breath, she flung the door open.

She rushed inside with her gun high. The first set of figures she spotted she swung the barrel in their direction. It was three men with one of them kneeling on the floor. The two standing were Nephrite and Jedite. Generals were wearing the same long, dark coat Malachite had been wearing earlier, but Jed's was unbuttoned, showing off the heavy, bulletproof gear they wore underneath. Between them, they held Zoisite, whose head had been previously bowed in her direction. When the door had open, he had looked up and exposed his battered form to her eyes. Blood crusted his chin from his busted lip. There was a bruise forming at his temple and his eyes were clouded with pain. To top it off, his clothes were sliced and bloody. Those wounds didn't seem life threatening, considering he was conscience and there wasn't much blood covering the floor. But they did indicate, he had been in a knife fight.

Ami stepped further into the room when she realized the Generals' hands were occupied with holding the man in a submissive position. She leveled a glare down the length of her gun. "Let him go."

Her tone was firm. It was a direct reflection of all the times she had squared off with criminals on missions. There was no room for her opponents to doubt her threats.

She planted her heels and dared a scan of the room. There wasn't much to the throne room. In the center of the gray marble floor was a table made of solid, ebony marble. The thick legs of the table were like tree roots, blending into the floor in twisting lines. There was a hefty downturn crescent on all four sides of the tabletop with stars and clouds merging down the legs. She hadn't expected to see any sort of table within a throne room.

Beyond the table, there was a vast stage with three steps running alongside its full side and a charcoaled colored curtain covering the farthest wall. Upon its crown, there sat an ebony marble chair with a high back. The chair was definitely a sibling of the table with similar legs and decorative carvings. The downturn crescent was boldly displayed upon the head of the backrest. The hard cushions were blood red with black spiraling patterns of stars and clouds. No one was presently sitting in the chair, but she didn't doubt someone of worthy status of the seat was nearby.

Her suspicion was confirmed when a man wearing a familiar tux stepped into her vision. She narrowed her gaze on the man's devilish line of a smile. "I saw you that day in the forest."

"I wondered if you did," he stated loudly. His voice was silky smooth, echoing through the spherical room. The sound was like wrapping herself in a warm blanket on the coldest day in winter. She shook her head to shake off the dreamy feeling.

"I demand you release him," she commanded louder. She aimed her gun at the point between his smoldering, brown eyes. "It's me you want."

She had practiced the line countless times in the pass week. She had wanted it to sound hard and indisputable. She had to sound confident, yet yielding.

The man's lips ever so slightly drew upwards. She nearly missed the small indication towards his mood. Her eyes were drawn to his mysterious features and dark crown of silky hair. In another time and place, she might have been drooling over the man, but she was terrified by his silent indifference. Did he not see the gun she was pointing at him?

He casually strutted forward with his arms tucked behind his back in a regal posture. She scrambled back half a step. "Don't move."

He stopped, but his smile was more definite. She even noticed the brightness in his dark eyes. He let out a wry chuckle. "Why don't I keep you both? I'm in deep need of paying back this man for all my men he has killed and the trespassing he did on our property. Besides, you have no exit to leave. Outside are three teams of soldiers, waiting for your escape. You can and try to negotiate for this man's life, but what do you have to offer other than what we already have?"

Ami's eyes darted to Zoisite. Their gazes met, sharing the anxiety that enveloped them. Zoisite hadn't expected her to arrive so soon. He had barely been conscious for more than five minutes when she marched into the room. To see her after hours of worrying had made his heart soar, but upon seeing her battered condition he had been swallowed with guilt. If he had been here, she wouldn't have a scratch on her.

As it was, the left side of her face was covered in dry blood. The arm underneath was wrapped in a drenched shirt. He could make out torn flesh hiding underneath. Another shirt was tied around her waist, but it was apparent there was extensive injury on her right hip, due to the fact that her jeans was stained red underneath the location. He imagined she had been wearing the two shirts before hand and had been forced to strip down to a thin, short sleeve shirt. Where her coat or jacket was, he had no idea. He saw his double holster strapped onto her, but she only had one gun in her hand. Surely, she had been smart enough to bring two guns, but some how lost one. Had she come into the base only with two guns? She couldn't have gotten this far with just two mags of bullets.

His worry mounted when he saw her dangerously sway on her feet. Ami hastily regained her statue composure and glared back at the nameless man in the tuxedo. Zoisite caught the way her eyes had faltered. She had to be exhausted. It was evident in how pale her skin was against her sweat and blood matted blue hair. Also, she was breathing as if she had run a three-day marathon.

Ami abruptly made a move that made his heart come to a complete halt. She yanked back her gun and dug the muzzle into the skin beneath her chin. He felt the men holding him become very still. Tears dribbled from the corner of her eyes as she frowned at the man in front of her. She hissed as a sob pushed through her clenched teeth. "You don't have the Crystal yet. I'm ready to blow out my brains to protect it."

Gun felt so strange against her skin. She could feel the dangerous tickle in her heart in having the muzzle pointed at her brain. The tuxedo man studied her while his infuriating smile didn't falter to her immense displeasure. He should have been somewhat concerned about his prize. She should see some indication unless he was an experienced poker player. She tightened her finger on the trigger to further her point. "You either let him go, or we can all just wait another thousand or so years when the crystal and I are reincarnated again to start this whole d— circle of life all over!"

"AMI!" Zoisite couldn't believe it. He had read her letter, but he thought she hadn't been serious about how far she was willing to go.

Ami flinched when she heard a gentle chuckle. The man stared at Zoisite's amusing attempts to break free from his captors. His suspicions about the man's attraction to the girl had been confirmed. His eyes returned to the suicidal woman. Confidentially, he said, "Go ahead."

She might as well have been socked in the stomach. "W-What?"

"Kill yourself," he said louder, taking a firm step into her direction. He signaled her to pull the trigger with an encouraging wave. "Go ahead."

Ami's wide blue eyes darted between the man and the other two generals. Nephrite and Jedite didn't appear to understand what their master was doing. They were staring at him with unsaid questions in their scowls.

"Do you think I won't?" Ami exclaimed, her voice wavering. She no longer felt in control. She felt small and at the mercy of a charging avalanche. _'Keep calm. Don't show your bluff. In their minds, you have the Crystal. If they figure out otherwise, everything you've down today is worthless.'_

She straightened her back into a solid board. "I would suggest you let him go before I blow away all your chances at the Crystal."

A loud, thunderous clap followed her last words. She jerked when a second clap echoed. The man gave one last clap before letting his hands drop. Ami's muscles tightened.

"I must congratulate you on your amazing performance," he laughed dryly. Her heart was sinking rapidly. She heard the tone, saw the sharp edge of his gaze, and knew that she had lost an important piece of information. Involuntarily, her gun began to lower from its precarious position.

"We had expected only the highest of successes from the Senshi," he wordily jabbed. She was drawn into his eyes. "We knew when you came, you would make it far inside, but we thought you would be stopped long before this point."

A few narrow feet were left between the pair. Ami barely noticed. She was too caught up in his words. "I surely did not expect such a theatrical display from a girl of such cold caliber."

Ami instinctively pointed her gun at the man, stopping his approach. Frightened tears blurred her eyes. Her knees swayed again, making her stomach clench. "This is no act."

His facial expression did not change. "Then go ahead. End your life before I rip the Crystal from your chest."

He started towards her. Ami lurched back, gun returning to the spot under her chin.

"Release Zoisite!" she cried, digging the muzzle into her skin.

"Dead or alive, the crystal will come out." The man ignored her demand and reached for her. Ami tried to escape his hands, but it was difficult walking backwards while she was dizzy. It wasn't long before his hand had wrapped around one of the holster straps. He yanked her towards him, his second hand going for the gun.

Ami squeezed her eyes shut. She felt the last thread of her confidence disappear. With its quick retreat went all her hopes. The last phase in her plan had completed. Her one regret was that she had been unable to save her second love.

"Zoisite, forgive me," she stated before she pulled the trigger. The blonde man yelled her name.

_Click._ _Nothing._

She pulled again.

_Click. Nothing. _

Her eyes flew open as she felt the man's hand grab her gun. She wrestled frantically against his strong grip and pulled the trigger a third time.

_Click. Click. Click._

Ami stared numbly as the tuxedo dressed man ripped the gun from her fingers. _'That's impossible. It can't be empty. I barely used any bullets in that clip!'_

His dark eyes met her with cold triumphant before looking pass her shoulders. "Thank you, Malachite, for the intervention."

Hands from behind gripped her forearms, yanking them backwards and locking them into a vice. Ami weakly fought against her captor. Swinging her face around, she met the white haired general's furious glare. The hollowness in her chest stretched throughout her body.

"It was a small feat," the general proclaimed, tightening his grip.

'_He used his gift to ruin the gun's mechanics?'_ she realized.

The man tossed the worthless gun aside. Zoisite fell against the generals' hands, feeling suddenly exhausted. His mixed fear and relief had stolen all his strength. Breathing harshly, he tried to catch the intern's eyes. He wanted to look at her face. He wanted to see the life radiating in her beautiful blue orbs. _'Ami.'_

"Don't celebrate too quickly," she snapped abruptly. "There are two sets of—"

"Bombs?"

There was a loud clatter behind her. Looking back, she counted a handful of coffee cans spilling her dry mix concoctions across the floor. Her eyes found the feet beside the coffee cans and trailed upwards to see Greg's bruised, disgruntle face. The hollowness in her chest changed into utter defeat.

"Did you fail to notice cameras watching the halls? Didn't you see the television screens watching the corridors?"

Ami screwed her eyes shut. She couldn't believe it. How stupid could she have been? How could she have overlooked something so important?

"Bring her forward!"

Ami's head snapped to the side. She knew that voice, and she inwardly kicked herself for not thinking of the person sooner. Her eyes found the red head standing alongside the black throne. _'How could I not consider her being here? Wherever Greg is, she would be.'_

The woman pushed back the black curtains behind the chair and sauntered into the intern's view. Cold, violet eyes met the girl's disbelief. Beryl pressed a fist onto her hip and gently brushed the edge of the throne. She looked as treacherous as the first day Ami had met her. Beryl was wearing another black evening gown that revealed a great deal of her pale flesh. This one was, however, distinct from the dozen Ami had ever seen her wear. This one had thin straps and a low neckline like all the other, but the bottom half was the distortion. Instead of a short, scandalous skirt, the fabric spilled down pass her ankles and trailed behind her in five-foot long train. Her usually dangerous look had taken an elegant turn.

Her long, scarlet hair spilt out over her model worthy shoulders and curled into cresting waves. A black tiara of dark gemstones drew the long curtain of red back from her oval face. The dark crescent, upside down moon hung down from the tiara, covering her forehead. She bore the image like one of the Senshi's planetary symbols.

"Present her properly," the woman commanded with a sneer.

Malachite pushed the intern forward. Ami fought against his hands, but it was a futile attempt since most of her focus was situated on the red head. She had long given up wrestling against the man's hands by the time she had reached the foot of the throne. With her mind spinning, her feet took a will of their own and lifted her frail figure onto the vast stage. Ami could feel all her dignity crumbling as Beryl lorded over her.

The idea that the red head was the mastermind of the organization was impossible for the intern to fathom. The woman was manipulative, to be sure, but Beryl did not have the ability to coordinate such a complex feat. The mathematics of the idea was all wrong. Beryl's skull had a little more air than most people. She had spite and viciousness furthering her effectiveness, but it only got a person so far. There was a missing variable to the equation.

Ami's mind shifted gear as the general pushed the intern pass the haughty red head. Ami turned her head to keep the woman in view as she was pressed forward. Her confusion only grew when the red head dropped to her knee once the intern was pass her. In the corner of her eye, Ami also saw the rest of the group solemnly dropping to their knees.

There was a loud growl ahead and the nurse swung her gaze back to the front. The black curtain shivered before her. Ami suddenly realized she wasn't staring at a fabric curtain. She was staring at a wall of pitch-black vapor. It was just so dark that she couldn't see through the thinnest thread of smoke. Ami's blue eyes grew wide as she was forced closer to the twisting cloud, pressing against the edge of what resembled a black hole. Her gaze was lost in the vivid black depths. Her mind was sinking into its clutches. Her breathing began to slow and her limbs went dead. Ami only started when two sparkling, ruby eyes opened within the heart of the black cloud. She held back a scream up until a mouth of jagged, ebony daggers flashed.

* * *

**_A/N: Anyone surprised? Anyone excited? Tell me please! Review! Review! Review!  
_**


	27. Astrology

**_A/N: Sorry for the wait. I wanted to convey a lot in this chapter and it was quite difficult. I hope I got enough of it across without ruining this story.  
_**

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 27: Astrology_

* * *

She tried to birth some form of thought in the barren wasteland of her mind. It was hard to get her mind started when she was enthralled with the black, bottomless pit of terror. Maybe if she had expected a monster for the face of the NVerse she might have been able to think properly. At least, the fear wouldn't have dried up the blood in her veins.

Ami struggle had ceased because of the fear instilled in her bosom. In her defense, anyone else would have been frozen in fear if they had come face to face with a being that could only be described as a child's dark imagination. Thought and motion was pushed to the back of the mind as she feebly tried to understand what she was confronting. The ghastly image was too much even for a girl who had dealt with a wide measure of the supernatural.

Depths, width, smell, opacity, all were a muddle of vague assessments that equaled to nothing certain. Basically, she was staring at something too abstract to describe. She called it a black hole, but it didn't explain the teeth and burning eyes. Nor did the words explain how the black smoke reached out and gripped her limbs in a hold that felt every bit real and secure.

Malachite's hand withdrew from her arms as the darkness wrapped around her entire body. She reengaged her efforts to break free, but it was as fruitless as before. The growling creature pulled her in deeper. As far as her eyes could see there was a relentless darkness. It surrounded her, enveloped her. When she moved, it followed her. The darkness held her captive in its bewitching touch, pulling a blindfold on all her senses. She inhaled and she felt the blackness fill her lungs. She wanted to puke up the blackness, but she couldn't will her body to listen.

"I was growing impatient." Ami curled away from the hissing sound. The speaker seemed to be everywhere like the darkness, or perhaps, the speaker was the darkness. Her eyes blinked, but it barely gave any measure of the measureless veil. Ami had seen the teeth slide with the syllables. There were no lips to follow, but the teeth flashed enough to tell her that the darkness had a voice to speak with. The cruel sound of the voice grated like ridged blades sharpening against each other.

Ami was so fascinated with the sound of the speaker that she missed what the being had said. "W-What?"

"Nearly two thousand years I've waited," the hiss grew heated. She felt the hands on her tightened. "To finally rip out of this hollow I've hidden in and mount the throne of this world."

Ami reeled in the creature's grip from the coldness of the spoken words. "What are you?"

There was a small intake of silence.

"I am hunger. I am the empty belly that aches and begs for fill." The voice whispered. "I am all that you desire, but have failed to acquire. I am your power, your weakness, your last hope."

The woman tried to pull away and shake off the shackles. Yet as she fought, her ear unconsciously tilted to the speaker.

"I'm the blackness that blots out the night sky. I am the cradle of luscious pleasures and highest endeavors. I am the mountain."

Ami's mouth went dry. She was flowing with the words as if they were one of her currents. The aches in her bones were melting away and her mind was clouding. She felt something hot brush against her arm.

"I'm freedom. I am acceptance. I am all you want."

Ami shook off the heady sensation that filled her skull and swirled within the black pit. She found the shining, red eyes that must have connected to the face of her captor. The cloudy veil in her mind evaporated upon spotting the red jewels. "I… don't understand."

"I can see your heart," the voice whispered softly. Ami could almost feel a cheek pressed against her temple, lips brushing the shell of her ear. "I know you're afraid. I know you want to be stronger."

The arms tightened around the woman, as the voice thinned into delicate glass. "I can make you faster than Amara, stronger than Rei, and more elegant than Michelle."

Ami was slipping away. "H-How do you know those names?"

"Aren't you tired of being the weak link? Sick of working so hard and always ending up being the problem instead of the solution?"

"I never—"

"Because you were always the key, little princess."

"Well, I—"

"None of them mattered. Only you were important."

"The C-Crystal," Ami slurred, feebly fighting the words that tickled her.

"Yes, you know its importance," the voice shifted to her other ear. "You know I'm looking for it. That's why you came. You came to give it to me."

Ami curled away. She was losing focus, but there was enough of her mind left to understand what the voice had proclaimed. "No! No."

The grip jerked her back. Razors painfully nipped at her earlobe, making the girl shudder in fear. "Well, you hadn't planned to exactly hand it over. You wanted to taunt me. To make me chase you like a dog after raw meat."

Ami was sinking deeper. She was drowning.

"You had planned a great chase, one that stretched the time you needed for the bombs to explode and tear down my home. You had executed your plan with the superior skill of your past self. You had looked at every scenario, moved all your pieces, played every trump card, and worked every manipulative bluff. But like last time, you failed to consider the one thing that could unravel your entire plan."

"What?" Ami listened attentively.

"You thought too much of yourself." The statement dripped with cruel sarcasm. Ami shifted in the blackness, startled by the firmness in the voice.

"I d-don't understand," Ami answered, trying to find her feet. "I've never thought—"

"You thought you were the only one who could protect the Crystal. You thought you stood a chance against an entire building of super soldiers."

"There's was no other way," Ami interrupted sharply. "They wouldn't have been able to—"

"A team of supernaturally gifted women wouldn't have been able to do the job of one? You invaded my den without the option of failure. You were prepared to be the martyr and gain a flashy legend to your name."

"I never intended—"

"You might not have intended, but you wanted the taste of the name. You wanted to be remembered. You wanted status."

"No," Ami breathed. Her stomach was so queasy. She was near ready to throw up.

"You're sick of being the weak link in the group. You wanted to be the heroine this time, not the escape route."

Her chin began to quiver, "Shut up."

"You wanted something for yourself. You were sick of sharing the glory, the guilt, the responsibility."

"I…I wanted…" Ami shook her head, eyes unseeing. The words were beginning to gain momentum. She could feel the words thickening with weight. Did she actually hear truth in that slick, oily voice?

"Your arrogance made you believe that you were the only one smart enough to know the truth. You thought you held the key to protecting the most precious power in the universe."

Ami's mouth flapped open and close as she fought to stay afloat.

"In a sense, you were right, but your perspective is a little off."

The waves were cresting over her, shoving her deeper into the blackness of the deep. She let it tug her under. All the energy had been sapped from her jelly filled limbs.

"You are the key to this entire predicament, little princess, and all because you are the Senshi known as the Shield."

Ami started within the watery prison, "Y-You knew?"

"I've always known since the day I held my hand against you and the Silver Kingdom. Unlike you and my generals, I have never passed into the inconvenient realm of the dead. Memories were never lost and a new timeline has never started."

_'Is it possible? Could this thing have really existed for two thousand years?'_

Ami could almost feel the creature smile.

"You think I'm lying, little princess. But then, how would I know you were not the true keeper to the Crystal? Even your closest friends don't know you are the Shield. Only someone who had known of your past life could know this."

_'My past.'_

"That's how I reached the Crystal last time. I had actually wrapped my hands around it seconds before it was ripped out of reach."

_'Last time.'_

"By the time I heard the Moon Princess had been discovered it was too late for a frontal assault. The Circle of Senshi had been formed and Princess Serenity was tucked behind a line of bodyguards. I knew I would have to slither between the soldiers to reach her."

"You…you used me. Didn't you?" Ami's brain was becoming more and more alive. The holes of her past were beginning to form shapes and outlines, making her forget the blurring prison that presently condemned her. "I mean in the past. You used me in the past."

"As much as in the present." The voice laughed. The world seemed suddenly blacker. "The only way to the Crystal was to find the one closest to the Moon Princess. Through whispers and rumors, I picked up bits and pieces of information regarding the royal guards of the Silver Kingdom. I knew the Queen had heard of my rise into power in the far corner of the stars and I knew I wouldn't be able to draw close without being discovered. Thus, I took a mask, a very good one.

"I carefully pushed a handful of my most valuable subordinates into various ranking positions throughout the kingdoms neighboring the Silver Kingdom. They became my eyes and ears. Through time, they progressed up the ladder and made their way into comfortable positions on my game board. All I did was wait for an opportunity to present itself.

Teeth flashed in a wicked smile. "Fate was in my favor when Beryl, my favored champion, took the role of priestess to the royal family of Earth. She was able to use her religious status as an excuse to attend royal visits to the Silver Millennium. Whenever Prince Endymion, known in the present day as Darien, would venture to the moon, Beryl would keep at the generals' elbows. It only took effort and time for her to shift into the men's trust.

"From there I worked on the hearts of the generals though they never knew. I played on their fears and doubts, tugging them further to the dangerous line of subordination. I gave special focus to one of the generals in particular.

"Do you remember, little princess? Surely you saw it."

Ami sunk backwards and a ray of light blinded her.

* * *

_-flashback-_

_Her eyes finally looked away from the gold ring that was worn on the hand that had stabbed her. It followed the line of fingers to the arm covered in a pressed gray shirt. She went pass the elbow then the shoulder. She saw a curl of blonde and immediately her heart faded. She tried to swallow, but there was too much blood in her mouth. Soon green eyes came into her line of vision, and she was surprised to see how cold they looked upon her. "Zoi?"_

* * *

Ami was thrown off her feet. She felt her body twist in midair, but the world surrounding her was still black as charcoal. After a moment of hanging, the dark veil split and a flare of light painfully hit her eyes. She squeezed her eyelids close on reflex. She soon felt numerous hands grab her and she jostled to a stop. Her knees hit the floor and her head reeled forward. She hung there for some time, catching her bearings. Taking deep even breaths, she carefully peeled her eyes open.

When she lifted her gaze, she came face to face with the same jade eyes she had witnessed in her vision. For a horrible moment, she thought she was still back in that realm, and a dagger was still lodged in her stomach. She tried to run away, to escape her killer, but the hands kept her in place.

"It was you?" she whimpered, still fighting to get free. "Has it always been you?"

She didn't know what timeline she was talking about. Maybe she was talking about both the past and the present. She was having trouble distinguishing the line between the two. Everything was jumbling together, merging into a confusing assortment of scenes and fractured images. If he had been a traitor in the past, wouldn't he be one in the present? She tried to keep her breathing calm as her heart raced. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the onslaught.

Though she had never suffered the ailment, she wondered if the rush of memories was anything like coming back from a case of amnesia. In a single instant, she relived an entire lifetime. Each scene that had been once lived a thousand years ago was revisited. Every touch, every taste, every sound, all of it was passed through her brain. Her memories were as vivid as yesterday.

_'But I was never there.'_

Two lifelines overlapped. She saw her eyes reflected in a past and present mirror. She recalled walking beside two different Serenas. She smelt cakes cooking in a castle and in a two-story house. She remembered swimming in a lake and also in cemented pool at a physical fitness center.

_'Maybe I was there?'_

Zoisite could barely contain himself when the smoke had wrapped around the girl. He threw himself against the generals' arms, hollering her name. The room echoed with his desperate cry. After three minutes of silence and not the smallest sign of the woman he cared about, the fight died in him. He hung limp in the men's arms, continually scanning the thick blackness for her petite shape.

_'Not again. I won't let her be hurt again.'_

He kept thinking of the day she was shot in front of his eyes. He kept thinking he was failing yet again to protect her. She was in the pit of danger and he couldn't see what torture she was suffering

"Ami!" he called again. _'I'm trying.'_

To his ultimate surprise, her body was thrown from the blackness, smoke trailing her limbs. She flipped like a rag doll through the smoky air. Malachite and the man, whose shirt was splattered in blood, raced pass him. Their arms reached up and plucked her from the air. She flopped in their grips, her head flopping around from the toss. The men dragged her down from the stage and brought her up in front of him. After gathering her composure, the petite woman slowly lifted her face.

"Ami?" Her eyes were dull, full of pain. He could imagine how bad that toss must have been to her injuries. She had to have ripped open the seams. Her blue eyes stared at him with an expression he could only connect to anguish.

She licked her chapped lips. She was gathering her words. "Have you been in league with these people this whole time?"

Zoisite recoiled, "What?"

Somehow his response made her heart clench.

"I can't believe this," she whispered, eyes dropping. She was completely limp in the men's arms. She had given up. "How could you kill me?"

_'She's lost it.'_ Zoisite leaned forward. He wanted to touch her, to wrap her up in his arms. Something had happened to her inside that black cloud. They had done something to her. He ducked his head and tried to look into her teary eyes. "Ami, what are you talking about? You're not dead."

She shook her head, refusing to look him straight in the face. "I thought you cared about me. Was that a plan, too? So you could reach the crystal?"

"No!" Zoisite exclaimed in disbelief. "I _do_ care, Ames. I've always cared. You know I do. Why are you saying these things?"

She looked up finally. He was surprised to the sour, perplexed look she was giving him. She seemed angry with him for daring such a question. She looked at him as if he knew the answer to his question. Ami struggled against herself. The only explanation that passed without restraint through her jumbled mind made her heart cry out in sorrow. "You're one of them. You're a general."

The wind was knocked out of him when she said those words. She might as well have stabbed him. She had placed him in league with the people he had fought against for the last two years. He took deep, calming breaths as he stared at her in wonderment. "Ami, what happened? What did they do to you?"

She shook her blue head. "I-I saw it all. I saw the end of my murder. It w-was you. The one who killed me."

* * *

_-flashback-_

_His lips tightened in a furious frown. Why was he frowning? Why was he so mad?_

_"Zoi?" she tried again. _

_Suddenly, the dagger was ripped from her stomach, unplugging the blood. She felt a rush of warm spill out, and she staggered a few feet forward. Unconsciously, she threw out her arm for balance. She gripped his shoulder without knowing as she began to sink to the floor. She leaned against him. Her blood smeared across the front of his pristine shirt, but neither noticed. _

_"Ami!" she heard her princess scream. _

_Ami forced her limbs to grab his sleeves. He turned away. He was turning towards her princess. Ami lost her frail grip on his clothes and barely had enough time to slap her hands down to catch her collapsing body. She narrowed her blurring gaze, ignoring the blue bangs obscuring her view of the man's back. _

_She tried desperately to tell her princess to run. Sadly, only blood flew from her lips. Her limbs began to crumble. 'No…'_

_She saw the blink of his blade at his side. 'How did I not see?'_

* * *

-Present-

"It's not true!" Zoisite yelled into her face, trying to pull her back from the distant realm of her thoughts. " Ames, listen to me! I've never been with them!"

"You were," Malachite stated darkly.

Zoisite glared up at the man. "Shut that hole in your face!"

The General stared down his nose at the kneeling man with a cold authority. He looked upon him as if his life was the same worth of a fly. "You have yet to be blessed with your memories like we have. Of course, you think I'm lying. You might be against our hand at present, but you were one of us back in the past. In fact, you were the one who was able to get by the Silver Kingdom's defenses back then and planned the attack that instigated the kingdom's bloody defeat."

"Liar," Zoisite hissed through clenched teeth.

Malachite stepped forward and knocked Zoisite's face aside. The former archeologist swung to the side, blood sputtering from his busted lip. He clamped his mouth close. He would not cry out. He wouldn't give a signal of defeat. He silently rolled his face back towards the towering General. His jade eyes met the man's sneer. "I could never be one of you."

Malachite rolled his eyes. He swung around to face the black curtain, careful to never let go of the Mercury Princess. Zoisite saw the smoke shift.

"I told you he would blather some self righteous crap," Malachite said.

"Then let us pull back the veil from his eyes as well."

Zoisite's blood ran cold when he heard the slithering voice. He was almost certain it had come from behind that black cloud. The hands that held him abruptly tugged him towards the marble stage. Zoisite's eyes reverted to his love's blank profile as he was pulled pass her. He called to her again, but no life flickered in response. He faced the stage and felt dread consume him. There was something wrong with how the black curtain shifted. He began to fight against his captors.

The black cloud began to chuckle, "You cannot fight your destiny, my precious Zoisite. No one can fight it."

Black tendrils of vapors reached for him. The closer he drew to the curtain, the less he fought against the generals that held him. He stepped onto the stage and the ebony arms wrapped around his limbs. The Generals backed away from the stage, releasing their hold on the prisoner. Almost immediately the curtain rushed forward and wrapped the man in dark shroud.

Zoisite blinked rapidly, trying to see beyond the endless darkness.

"I thought out of the four, you would be the most receptive." A hand brushed against his cheek. He recoiled in disgust. It had felt like claws running along his skin. "Course, its understood that you would fight against me since you are the only one who fell into that nest of rats."

The grip on him tightened and the voice drew closer to his ear. He flinched when hot breath brushed against him. "Oh, my precious one. How I've missed you."

Zoisite jerked backwards. "Don't touch me."

The arms shook him. Zoisite gritted his teeth when his injuries flared in pain.

"You will not deny me," the voice growled. "You are my servant. I will teach you what you have forgotten."

A ray of blinding white light broke through the curtain and hit his eyes.

* * *

_-flashback-_

_He looked to his side and saw the three generals sitting in various chairs within a small room. Malachite rose from his seat. His sharp, blue eyes scanned his comrades' faces. "An invitation was received today. It's a letter from the Silver Millennium Kingdom requesting the royal family's appearance. They want to negotiate trade agreements. Your opinions?"_

_Nephrite reclined in his seat, letting his feet hang forward. "I don't like having all three royals at a foreign base. It leaves us too vulnerable."_

_"Agreed," Zoisite nodded. "We should have only one royal answer the invite. Prince Endymion has been handling foreign affairs lately under the request of his father. If he answers the invite, we have an excuse to attend the meeting since we are his formal bodyguards."_

_"We could learn more about the Senshi," Jed added. He pulled his hands to the back of his head and propped his chair on two legs. "Sources say the Senshi carrying the weapon is part of the Circle. This would be a good opportunity to narrow the identity of the holder."_

_Malachite turned to Zoisite. "You would have the best luck of uncovering the identity."_

_Zoisite rolled his eyes. "Let's be realistic. We won't be able to uncover the weapon on a single visit. It will take much longer to gain any sort of trust with these Amazon warriors."_

_"That's why we should encourage relations with the kingdom. More opportunities will present themselves if we further public relations with the kingdom."_

_"The whole idea makes me sick," Nephrite grumbled from his corner. "Those aliens on the moon are already powerful. I've heard that the Senshi are able to control the elements. Such things shouldn't be possible for mortals."_

_"Then what is Beryl's gift of foresight to you, Neph?" Zoisite countered. "A small oversight?" _

_The opposing General glowered at him. "She is blessed with the link to the Gods. She does not yield a self sustaining gift as do those creatures on the moon."_

_"What if those creatures have those elemental gifts because they were also bestowed by the gods?" _

_Nephrite curled his lips, "The Moon prays to a different deity. It is not our gods that bless them."_

_"Regardless of their religious difference," Malachite loudly interrupted. The two men quietly settled back into their prior positions and returned focus to their leader. "Beryl told me that the King and Queen of Earth have hopes of uniting with the Silver Kingdom. She has advised against it, but they have made a decision to use whatever effort to bridge the gap between worlds."_

_"That's a dangerous move," Jed cursed. _

_"I side with him," Zoisite agreed. "The closer we get with the kingdom, the more our security secrets shall be exposed. We could quickly become defenseless."_

_"As will they," a female voice spoke from the door._

_Everyone turned and was surprised to see the red head priestess entering their small meeting room. Zoisite quickly rose with a disapproving scowl. "Lady Beryl, this is a private meeting."_

_"Stand down, Zoisite," Malachite ordered. The white haired man marched over to the priestess and directed her to a chair. Once she was comfortable, the General faced his team. "I requested her presence."_

_Jed laughed, "Malachite, you aren't one for breaking protocol." _

_The man ignored the comment. "Since the King refuses to acknowledge the threat of the Silver Kingdom, I have reason to believe we must take surreptitious action."_

_Zoisite stiffened, "You want to act without the King's permission? You're heading down a dangerous path, Malachite."_

_"I'm not suggesting going against the King," Malachite sighed. He rolled back his shoulders and took his usual I-don't-give-a-crap-what-you-think-stance. "I'm only saying we continue our jobs as protectors of our kingdom and investigate this pending alliance. We are required as guards to investigate any possible threats, and it is very obvious this kingdom possesses a threat with that rumored weapon and Senshi bodyguards."_

_Nephrite and Jedite glanced at one another while Zoisite anxiously shifted in his chair. They all knew their commander was correct in his assessment. Even though they would be dancing on a thin line, they wouldn't be going against any laws. They were still in their zone of right as personal bodyguards to the royal family. _

_"What is your plan of action?" Zoisite inquired evenly. _

_Malachite's lips lifted. He was glad to see that his men still trusted his advice. He was fearful that they would not be able to see the forest among the trees. Personally, he hated the idea of acting without his king's knowledge, but he understood that danger of leaving the Silver Kingdom unchecked. _

_"My plans are still in the drawing stage," he replied. "For now, our objective is to assess the Senshi. Find out their ranks and responsibilities. If at all possible, learn the location and purpose of this rumored weapon."_

_Jedite abruptly stood and approached his commander. "No offense, Malachite, but your asking us to infiltrate a complex team of supernatural bodyguards. How would suggest we uncover these secrets?" _

_Malachite openly grinned at the man, amused by the choice of question. "Remember these Senshi are a bunch of women. Half of the guards are still young, barely of age. Why don't you try that beautiful charm of yours, Jed?"_

* * *

-Present-

"You were one of them, Zoisite. You see that don't you."

His lungs were failing. He could barely breath. _'No, please.'_

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_He followed his prince down the long hall. The meeting with Queen Serenity regarding trade agreements had been favorable in Zoisite's view. There had been suggestions of adding trade with neighboring planets if Earth began trading with the Moon. That was a substantial financial incentive. Earth would definitely continue to have social dealings with the Silver Kingdom as Malachite had hoped. _

_It was a good thing because he and Jedite, the only Generals who had been present on this diplomatic visit to the moon, had been unable to learn much since their arrival six hours ago. Zoisite had kept with his prince during the proceedings with the Queen. Zoisite had more of an understanding for taxes and trade values so he was needed to advise the Prince. Only two Senshi had been present during the meeting and both had remained silent throughout the talks. Since security had been low, Jed had slipped away during a recess. Zoisite had told his partner to be back for proceedings, but as expected the blonde charmer had disappeared to who knows where. Zoisite would chew him out later for breaking security. The Senshi would definitely mark his disappearance and not be happy. _

_"Where do you think he went?" his prince asked over his shoulder. "Father wants to hear a report as soon as possible."_

_"I'm sorry," Zoisite replied. "But I do not know, my liege. I told him to return to the meeting once the break was over. He never said he was going somewhere that would detain him. I suspect he saw a pretty skirt."_

_"That would definitely be Jed." Endymion chuckled. "And Zoi, please don't call me 'my liege.' I'm suppose to be a under the disguise of a general. Only the royal family knows—"_

_A tall woman with tan skin and a waterfall of green hair spilling down her back stepped out into the hall. She carried a purple staff with golden etchings spiraling up the base. On top of the staff was a sparkling maroon orb with the metal twisting across the surface to hold the object in place. The woman swiveled to face the two men. She graciously curtsied. "My lords, good afternoon. I was hoping to find you."_

_The prince formally bowed with his hand over his heart. "Good afternoon, my lady. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of an introduction."_

_She rose back to her full six-feet height. Zoisite was a little unnerved by the woman's tall stature. He was a good inch shorter than her. Though he had some weight over her, it was obvious from the muscles flexing arms under her thin sleeves that he would have a hard scrap if they went head to head. Zoisite carefully readjusted his feet, putting his weight on his toes. Her maroon eyes shifted towards him and he wondered if she had seen his movement. Her pale lips pulled higher before returning her attention back to the undercover prince. _

_"I'm Lady Trista, Senshi of the Outers and the Princess of Pluto."_

_"I'm Lord Darien, Head General of the Four Corners, and this is my associate Lord Zoisite, General of the West Corner. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Trista."_

_"As it is my pleasure." She gave a small nod. Her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks, bringing focus to her the delicate angle of brown cheeks. Zoisite could not deny the woman's exotic, alien beauty. "I came in search of you my lords because your comrade Lord Jedite requested your presence once the proceedings were completed."_

_'Yep, he was chasing a skirt if he found one of the Senshi.' Zoisite rolled his eyes involuntarily. "We apologize profusely for the inconvenience, Lady Trista. Our comrade was supposed to return to the meeting once the recess was over. I'm only certain he has gotten into some type of mischief in our absence from his side. We hope he has not insulted anyone with his actions."_

_"Come now, Zoisite." The prince interceded. "Do not be so quick to judge our friend. Perhaps, he has used his professional behavior to mingle with our newfound relations. Lady Trista has not suggested any harmful behavior. Should I think otherwise, Lady Trista?"_

_He swiveled back to the beautiful princess. _

_"None whatsoever," she replied lightly. "Lord Jedite has been most amiable. At present, he is accompanying several of my colleagues at the training grounds. Please give me the honor to lead you to them."_

_"We gladly give it," Darien responded cheerfully. He lifted his arm to signal her to do such, and she graciously turned on her three-inch heels. She strode down the hall with her skirt fluttering behind her. _

_Together the three passed through the hall and entered a length of the hall that opened out into the courtyard. A low wall with columns jutting up to the ceiling divided the bright floral yard and the white alabaster walls. The golden sunlight streamed over the floor and crawled up the three soldiers' faces. Zoisite blinked as he was momentarily blinded. When his eyes adjusted, he saw a clutter of figures casually taking a turn around the budding bushes on the opposite side of the circular yard. It was a handful of ladies walking alongside the blonde devil. The ladies all wore light padded athletic gear with cream attire underneath. When one of the ladies spun to laugh at her friend's joke, Zoisite spotted the Moon Kingdom Crest stitched onto the back of her padded vest. They had to be some of the Senshi. _

_Reaching the archway that led out into the yard, the trio entered the party's line of view. Jedite's grin brightened upon sight of them and he eagerly waved. "So Trista found you. Very good."_

_Zoisite marched a little straighter. He knew this trip would give him a headache. The Prince was still young to social interaction and he wouldn't notice his general's lack of protocol so Zoisite had been prepared to keep tabs on his partner. Course, he hoped Jed would try to keep to standards. "Jedite, do not disrespect our guide. Use her title, else Malachite will give you another lecture in protocol."_

_Jedite dismissed him with a wry sigh, "Peace, Zoisite. These admirable ladies requested to drop their titles."_

_The man quickly stepped to right and gave his comrade a better view of the spoken of women. Jed grinned brightly, "But to prove I have not forgotten my manners, let me introduce my new found relations."_

_He held his hand to nearest figure. "This dark haired wonder is Lady Rei, Princess of Mars." _

_The woman had hard, brown eyes and her cheeks were flushed. Zoi wondered if it was the attention or the dislike of international relations that was making her uncomfortable. The maiden curtsied as decorum demanded, but she quickly straightened and raised her shoulders. He could definitely make out a streak of pride in her body language. He was not surprised to see the way Jed's gaze focused on her profile. The man was also quite prideful. _

_Jed passed in front of her to step up to the next woman. "This golden goddess is Lady Mina, Princess Venus and Leader of the Circle." _

_The woman curtsied and then quickly bounced back up into a brilliant smile. Her hands twitched with what Zoi could only guess to be nervous habit. She acted too young to be a leader of one the highest ranking security teams._

_Reaching the end of the line, Jed drew up to the final woman. "Last, but certainly not least, this is Lady Serena, daughter of Queen Serenity."_

_The last woman was definitely an eye catcher and not because of youthful beauty. It was the odd set of pigtails that caught his attention. He only saw the hairstyle on young children and seeing it on the woman's blonde crown made her ten years younger in his eyes. To him, it was hardly an attractive style for a woman blossoming into her age. Was it possible that the hairstyle held a different appeal on the moon? _

_The girl curtsied with a little less grace than her companions. She actually stumbled forward when she tried to rise. She laughed under her breath and pushed back her messy bangs. Her blue eyes kept flickering over to his prince behind him._

_Zoisite couldn't believe it. As he rescanned the line of faces, he realized each woman was at least two or three years younger than himself. He was shocked to see the Senshi were such a young group. At least, Lady Trista was in her mid-thirties, not the short plateau of twenty. He was supposed to uncover secrets from a bunch of newly made adults? He would not show his disbelief, however, and painted his noble smile on as he greeted the maidens. _

"_Good afternoon, Ladies. I am Lord Zoisite, General to the West Corner, and this is Lord Darien, Head General of the Four Corners. It is a rare pleasure to be introduced to such a beautiful and powerful group of ladies."_

"_Thank you, sir. It is also a pleasure to meet you," Mina responded with merry politeness. Serena bit her lip and smiled at her comrade. Rei didn't change her expression. "We hope the trade dealings went well."_

"_They did. Thank you." Zoisite replied. He relaxed his stance and brought his hands behind his back like his usual habit. "I hope my comrade did not detain you from your training."_

"_Oh no, it was we who detained him," Mina quickly apologized. "We had taken a break from training and spotted him roaming the halls. We inquired him about his presence as our duty required, and fell into favorable conversation. We lost track of the time and we dishonorably kept him from returning to the meeting without our knowledge. Please forgive us for keeping your comrade from his duty."_

_Jedite smiled over the girl's shoulder with a knowing smirk. He had obviously been aware of the time when the girls had broken into conversation with him earlier. He had simply acted surprised when he had checked the time and stated he had missed the meeting. Zoisite was unable to voice his disapproval in front of the ladies, but he made a note to give him a long, boring speech about keeping his hands away from their alien enemies. _

"_Do not distress," Zoisite commented. He gave his partner a pointed stare. "He's not much help inside political dealings."_

_Jed's smirk dropped. Zoisite enjoyed the glare he received. He knew he would have to deal with a sour friend on the way back to Earth, but it was worth it. He rarely got the chance to get a stab at him in front of the guy's conquest. Zoisite tried to keep his smile professional as returned his focus to the attentive ladies. He noticed the blondes sharing a glance. _

"_I'm sorry to make our meeting so short, dear ladies, but our king—" _

"_Wait, Zoisite." He felt a hand grab his shoulder from behind. He automatically stepped back and gave his prince room to step forward. Darien gave him a side-glance before showing a dashing smile. "I'm sure five minutes won't detain us too long. And besides, we will mostly likely have future relations with the Moon, it would be favorable to have some conversation with them besides financial statistics."_

_Zoisite bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm sorry, commander. I didn't mean to snub social interaction. I'm merely concerned about our king's orders to return swiftly with reports."_

"_No damage done," Darien insisted, eyes set on the pigtailed woman. "I promise we won't stay too long."_

_His prince stepped forward and began to engage the pair of blonde women in small talk. They were discussing the women's training gear and their effectiveness while Jed leaned in on the third woman. Zoisite was happy to see the way the woman haughtily ignored the man's blunt flirtation. The Western General sighed. At least, they were working their way into good graces with the Senshi. It would help later on when he would want to find out their individual responsibilities to the Senshi. _

"_Have you enjoyed your stay, Lord Zoisite?" The man started. He swung around to see Trista laughing at him. "I'm sorry, my lord. I didn't mean to startle you."_

"_No, it's alright. I was lost in thought." Zoisite looked back towards the others and saw his prince leading the girls into a walk around the flowerbeds. Zoi grimaced when he saw his prince was keeping most of his focus on the Queen's daughter. 'That could be problem later on. I'll have to keep an eye on him.'_

"_Oh, it appears more of my teammates have arrived." _

_Zoisite swiveled back to the Pluto Princess and saw two figures in the archway he had exited minutes ago. His body froze when he saw the blue beauty standing in the entrance. He had never seen hair that vivid. He was completely enthralled by the brilliant color. He blinked rapidly and refocused on the image of the petite woman standing next to a tall brunette. The brunette whispered something in the shorter woman's ear, making the blue-haired maiden scowl and heatedly say something in return. The brunette laughed loudly and grabbed the woman's elbow, dragging out into the yard. _

_Zoisite hastily straightened. He wasn't sure why he did it. His eyes kept going back to her hair. Well, he did up onto the point that she got close enough that he was able to distinguish the color of her eyes. That was when his focus shifted. Her eyes were only slightly darker than her short hair. When he stared at her for too long, she ducked her face. _

_Zoisite involuntarily smiled when she reached Trista's side. She was so small between the towering women. She looked like frail glass regardless that she wore the same training gear her companion wore. Perhaps, the moon had an effect on physical appearance because she was lovelier than any woman he had met on Earth. _

"_This is Lady Lita, Princess of Jupiter, and Lady Ami, Princess of Mercury. Ladies, this is Lord Zoisite, General of the Western Corner of Earth."_

_The two newly arrived women curtsied while he bowed. They both smiled, though Lita grinned a little brighter than her friend. "How are you, sir? Did the trade meeting go well?"_

"_I'm very well. Thank you, milady. And, yes, the meeting went well. It appeared to mark many future relations." He turned to the shorter woman. She ducked her eyes again, making him smile wider. "I'm sorry, Lady Ami. Is the sun in your eyes?"_

_She blushed furiously. Her friend gave her a mischievous smile. "Oh no. Thank you, sir."_

_She shifted the weight on her feet, and glanced anxiously to her friend. She abruptly curtsied, "I'm sorry, but there was something I forgot to do. Please forgive me."_

_Hastily, she jogged back to the hall. Zoisite took a step in her direction and watched her disappear out of sight. He frowned at her quick escape. _

"_I profusely apologize, my lord." Lita quickly stepped into his view. Zoisite focused on the other woman, trying to hide his fascination with the petite girl. "Lady Ami has been under a lot of pressure lately because of these negotiations."_

"_Really?" he inquired softly, looking back at the empty archway. _

"_She's normally not much of a conservationist when she stressed out as much as she has been during these past weeks."_

_Zoisite was definitely perplexed by the woman's statement. "I don't understand, madam. She wasn't present at the meetings."_

"_Well, that was Lady Amara's decision. Lady Amara is in charge of all who attend international dealings. Ami did all the work on the statistics resolving the trade routes. She's a little riled because she wasn't able to stand in as advisor to the king and queen during the proceedings. She's been worried her work will amount to nothing if the trade routes she favored weren't acquired. She's been very distracted all day, especially during our lessons. It's very unlike her."_

_He would have to give special attention to the girl. His instincts told him that she could be useful. _

* * *

_-Flashback of months later-_

_"I find them rather refreshing." Jedite said as picked an apple up from the breakfast table. Zoisite cocked his brow at the comment, but remained silent as he sampled the oatmeal. His partner tossed his apple into the air before continuing. "The Mars Princess is wonderfully entertaining to fire up."_

_Nephrite looked up from his stack of papers and gave the man a confused look. "Fire up? Are you trying to bed this alien?"_

_Zoisite chuckled, "No, she's the one who fights him verbally rather than swoon."_

_Nephrite burst into laughter. Malachite actually smiled and stared at Jedite's embarrassment. "There's a girl who won't follow your charms. Amazing."_

_The sarcasm in his commander's voice immediately won laughter from Zoisite. Actually, Jedite never had luck with women. He always aimed for women who were high in intelligence or hard core military. Neither of which were gullible to his flashy charms. The man had yet to acquire a worthy girl to date and was normally the scorn of all jokes regarding celibacy. _

_"But the others actually give you a time of day?" Nephrite asked with wonderment. "There must be air in their heads."_

_"No, just hormones." Zoisite replied in his partner's stead. "They're barely of age, and I hear they had little dealings with the opposite sex because they were trained from early childhood."_

_Malachite immediately went into soldier mode. "They must be highly skilled in combat if they have been drilled for a decade."_

_"We weren't able to get access to view their training," Jedite hurried to get off the subject of his lacking romance. "Lady Amara was very strict about keeping us separated from their training especially on this last visit. She and Lady Ami are the only ones who haven't seemed to warm up to us."_

_Nephrite frowned at Jed. "Really? I know you say that Lady Amara is harsh about security measures, but I would have thought by now that ice princess would have melted."_

_Jed raised his hands up at his blonde partner in crime. "Don't look at me. Lady Ami is his job."_

_Zoisite rolled his eyes. "She's a strategist. Unlike her teammates, she actually stays on her guard."_

_Jedite tossed his apple again. "Even so, you're a strategist yourself. A little girl shouldn't be this much of a challenge."_

_The man glared back at him. "That little girl can, what I heard, wield an ice storm and has been the head of the Kingdom Security for the last five years. I either tread carefully or this whole thing falls apart."_

_Malachite nodded. Jedite moaned about a lack of appreciation for his personal achievements with the Senshi. "I've gotten six out of nine girls on my side and you can't even get one."_

_"I'm more concerned about the girls' superiority to us," Zoisite loudly stated. He rose from his seat at the table. Jedite let his arm drop while Malachite narrowed his eyes on the man circling the room. Nephrite pulled his reading glasses off his nose._

_"What do you mean when you say their superiority?" Nephrite asked with hard edge. _

_Zoisite brought a hand to his chin as he paced the room. "They are young, but effective. They were not chosen to be the guards of the weapon because of their royal status. They were chosen because of their advanced capabilities. How the Queen discovered their capabilities at such a young age I don't know, but the Senshi are equipped with supernatural abilities that we are incapable of defending against."_

_Malachite crossed his arms, "Do you have any suggestions to deal with this problem?"_

_Zoisite gauged his comrades' facial expressions before taking a deep breath. "Beryl has offered a possible solution."_

_Jedite stiffened and looked over at his commander. Malachite grimaced. He had a fairly good idea what she had suggested. "What is it?"_

_Zoisite returned to circling the room. "She said Earth is still connected to old magic that we can sapped into and learn. As earth dwellers, we are born with the old magic in our veins so we will likely have great success. She says she would be able to awaken the magic and give us similar abilities like the girls."_

_Nephrite rose a little in his chair, obviously excited with the possibility. "Really?"_

* * *

_-Flashback a year later-_

_Blood poured over his fingertips. It was warm. His gripped tightened on the dagger before he glared into her face. Red dribbled down her chapped lip all the way down to her chin where it swelled into pregnant drops. Her blue eyes were glassy and filled with pain. He knew it was mostly emotional pain inside. Somehow the notion made him uncomfortable._

_Gritting his teeth, he ripped the blade out of her abs. She jerked forward as the blade slid out of her flesh. More red spilled forth and splattered her glossy, midnight blue heels. Her mouth fell open and he saw a pit of black oozing amongst the red. Her weight moved her forward and her hand grabbed his shirt. _

_He forced his arms to remain at his side as she struggled to stay up on her feet. It didn't take long for the loss of blood to pull her to the floor. He ignored the smear of fluids covering his front. Though she could not speak, he knew exactly what she was thinking. It was the horrible ironic question that followed people from their cradle to their deathbed. _

_WHY?_

_Zoisite inhaled deeply and turned towards the screaming Moon Princess. He marched forward. He was unable to think of a better answer than, 'Because…' _

* * *

-Present-

Zoisite wanted that dagger.

He wanted to carve out his heart.

He wanted to die.

He fell to his knees at the foot of the stage. He would have collapsed into a heap, but hands not his own caught him before he hit. He hung limp, letting the hands support his dead weight. He stared at the floor. The images were still fresh in his mind. The bloody scene was the most vivid memory and the hardest to push back. He tried taking deep, calming breaths while he focused on his reflection in the floor.

Zoisite's eyes slid close. Each breath he took was like air flowing into a hollow tank. He was so empty, and yet so full of pain.

_'How could I have done that? To her? To them?'_

His face rotated. Her blue hair was obscuring his view of her facial profile. She was as limp as he was and just as dead to the world around them. He could only imagine the betrayal pumping through her being.

_'I have such deep feelings for her. How could I have felt nothing for her? How could I possibly lift a hand against her?'_

Her hair jostled and he caught a glimpsed of her closed eyes. Bodies stepped into his view and she shifted forward. He realized they were moving her. He stiffened. _'Wait.'_

Her feet dragged across the floor as she was pulled to the center. Ami slowly lifted her head, finally coming to the realization that they were moving her. Immediately, the dark table came into view. She hazily wondered what was the table's use.

One of the hands shifted and grabbed one of her belt loops. Soon a hand from the other captor followed suit. She was yanked upwards and spun onto her back. She moaned when her spine slammed against the dark stone. The two men dragged her body into position. She suddenly became afraid and began to fight their hands. She kicked and screamed, but she was trapped.

The black curtain shuddered. New tendrils reached forward and brushed pass Zoi. His mouth was moving, but he didn't know what he was saying. All he knew was that he felt broken as he watched those back arms wrap around her wrists and ankles. The dark creature pulled down on her limbs and forced the table into her back. Ami screamed out her pain. After a solid minute of sobbing, her voice faded in her throat.

She could hear the dark voice whispering in her ear, "Yet again, little princess, you are the key to reaching the Crystal."

Ami struggled to speak. Her throat was so tight. "You didn't get it last time."

"Yes, that's true." The voice hissed. "But what about this time? Can you stop me from ripping your heart out of your chest?"

Tears trailed down her face. "Please—"

The arms yanked her harder against the table. "Yes, beg for your life—"

"Someone—"

"Because I'm not stopping," it snarled. "I won't die."

"—Anyone ?"

"I was at your birth. I was at your death."

Ami's eyes screwed shut and her chin trembled.

"I was at your rebirth and I will be your death again." Black hands floated over her. Ami could feel cold air pressing down on her. Chapped lips again brushed the shell of her ear. Ami wanted to throw up. "I know the Queen sealed me away hundreds and hundreds of years ago. I know she used the Crystal to bind me, but she wasn't able to keep me at bay forever. I broke free and claw at the world to find you and your friends. As before, you were the link I needed. I knew you were the weak one who would bring me the Crystal.

"Your friends will wake up. They will come back to the base. They will come into the base the same way you did. They will come in with guns blazing and with the intent of dying in your stead. Through you, they will carry the Crystal into my reach. I'll kill all of you and then, I'll take over everything. I shall be everything."

"Then, kill me," Ami desperately sobbed. "Finish this."

"See this is where you fail again," the darkness sneered. "You keep thinking you know everything. That you've got it all figured out. Little one, you have to come to the realization that there are still things you don't know. Course, how could you possibly know how important you are to me?"

Ami stared up into the smoke hovering over her. "I d-don't—"

"You see when Queen Serenity used the Crystal to seal me, seal the Generals' memories, and seal her two advisors she was unable to keep the crystal from straining under the pressure. The Crystal was meant for many things, but sealing beings was not its true strength. Course, the Queen was too busy trying to stop me to rightly consider the dangers of pushing the Crystal too hard. Besides, there was only one other present at the time that could have stopped her and that person also did not know the dangers. Thus, it is no wondered that you had no knowledge of the Crystal shattering that day so long ago."

The information shook the woman down to her very core. The idea that their one salvation had been destroyed was the last straw in her failing countenance. Ami shook her head. "L-Luna never said anything about the Crystal shattering."

"Because she was already sealed when it happened. It's very unfortunate she never knew that small piece of information. She might have been able to reform the Crystal." Ami could feel the being grinning all around her. "For you see, the Crystal was not destroyed from all form existence when it shattered. No, the Queen was able to salvage the glorious thing. She was able to narrowly reshape the Crystal into a handful of pieces. It totaled, ironically, into nine chunks in the Queen's weak hands.

"Close to death, the Queen knew she needed to hide the shards before any new evil discovered its existence and destroyed the goodness in the universe. Thus, she carefully found the souls of each Senshi and bound the Crystal into the core of their spirits. Once the Senshi were reborn, they could reclaim their seats to the fallen kingdom and merge the shards back into their previous glory."

Battered and weak, the petite intern feebly whispered, "I don't believe you."

A black hand surged and wrapped around her throat. Ami gasped audibly, her hands clawed at the hand, but her fingers passed through the blackness. Her nails scrapped down the white expanse of her throat leaving a trail of bleeding scratches. Her eyes were so wide that the white seemed to take over the blue.

"Are you presenting a challenge? Perhaps a suicidal one?" the being shifted its mass over the girl. The hand around her throat relaxed and Ami gulped at the air. As she regained use of her lungs, the black smoke passed down her chest. Seconds later, the intern's chest flared with pain. She could see white colors flashing in the back of her eyelids. Black daggers dove into the line running down her chest, digging down into her ribcage. She heard someone screaming her name. _'Zoi, h-help me!'_

The daggers dug amazingly deeper. She could feel it passing into the deepest crevice of her heart, crawling through the layers. She was being defiled down to the marrow of her being. It was touching her where no one had been able to touch her. Ami no longer cared about the excoriating pain ripping through her nerves. All she cared about was stopping the blackness spreading down into her. Ami was pure woman who had never experienced any form of sexual intimacy. She had neither experienced rape, but she felt like the creature was taking away a similar innocent by touching her.

_'Stop.'_

The black fingers brushed against the white center of her spirit. It caressed it like a lover would, disgusting the intern. If only she knew how to get away. The fingers wrapped around the beating light.

Ami inhaled sharply when the hand began to pull. She felt all the bindings, all the strings of nerves tugging with the light. At first, it was gentle, but the hand quickly became violent. The seams inside her tore apart with each rapid tug. As the threads broke, she felt pieces of her dying. Her blood was still flowing and her heart was strong, but her aura was erratic.

She could hear the water screeching like a sewer drain. She reached for her gift, begging for it. She could feel it slipping away from her like she had slipped away in the darkness. The creature was taking it away from her.

With one final pull, something warm and white passed through her chest. Black fingers held up the sparkle of light. The world around her had suddenly gone dead. She could no longer feel her aura or the water. She could barely hear her own heart beating.

The light slowly faded to reveal a broken splinter of the most beautiful crystal. Though the crystal was enveloped in darkness, an inner light stretched from its center, casting blue sparkles into the woman's dull eyes. Unconsciously, a smiled graced Ami's lips as the warmth grazed her cold skin.

The warmth was abruptly ripped away when the hand enveloped the crystal. The emptiness widened.

"This is the beginning, little princess," the voice was stumbling over the words. The being was so excited that it could barely contain itself. It was stuttering between laughter. "After so many years, I finally have touched the beginning."

Ami was so cold. She was trembling on the table. The hands that were gripping her limbs receded from her, but it made no difference to the intern. Very quickly, she began to convulse on the stone slab. Her body was reacting to the trauma of a broken spirit. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

* * *

"I can't believe she did this," Serena whispered with tears pouring down her face. She had read the letter only once and she had known it was no lie. She knew her friend too well. The words sounded exactly like her.

"Serena, get up! We have to go after her!" Rei exclaimed, pulling out of the hall closest her coat and several others to the floor. Venting out her frustration, she kicked the pile of coats aside.

"It's already been three hours!" Mina reported, hurrying after the priestess. She grabbed the dark haired woman's arm, stopping her from putting on the coat. Rei shook her off. Mina scowled. "She could already be heading back!"

Rei whirled. Her eyes were burning.

"Heading back?" she screeched. She marched pass her blonde friend and swiped the letter out of Serena's shaking fingers. She flaunted the piece of loose leaf in Mina's face. "This doesn't say anything about coming back!"

Her cheeks were flushing red with fury. Mina carefully stepped back as Rei's arm grew wild.

"I'm not going to sit around," Rei hissed, yanking the other sleeve onto her arm.

"Wait, Rei!" Luna raced after the priestess. She pushed pass Lita and a disoriented Serena. "You can't do like Ami did and go in alone. It's suicide!"

"Then, let's go! D—it!" She cried with a loud stomp. She glared pointedly at the group.

Luna took a deep breath. "Please, calm down, Rei. We can't charge in there—"

"Then, she dies!" Rei snapped, turning back towards the door. "It's already been three hours, and another forty minutes will be wasted with us driving to the base. She's been alone for—"

"Zoisite's with her," Artemis interrupted. "He surely caught up with her."

"That's still only two against dozens, possibly hundreds!" Rei growled. She furiously waved her arm at the surrounding figures. "Why aren't you freaking out?! D— it!"

Luna bit her lower lip and glanced at her husband. They both were thinking the same thing. The violet haired woman made sure to look the priestess straight in the eye. She knew the girl wouldn't want to hear it. "Because she's likely already dead."

Rei was an immovable wall of fury. Very few times had any of them see her get as shaken as she did in those next few seconds. Her red painted fingernails dove into her messy bangs. She had meant to only push them back, but somehow her fingers trailed down her brow and pass her eyes. When her fingertips grazed her chapped lips, a whining noise sputtered out. She covered her mouth, as the whine became a sorrowful moan. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to hold back the wild emotion pushing to the forefront of her demeanor. Her shoulders began to shake, and Serena hastily went to the woman's side.

Lita dropped her eyes. She couldn't watch the pillar of their ground crumbling. It was already too hard enough to keep calm. The brunette swallowed desperately, "We can't _just_ sit here and do nothing."

Her fingers flexed at her sides. She ever so slowly swiveled around to their hostess. She could hear Serena whispering to Rei. Luna nodded with unseeing eyes, hearing the same words. "We won't. We'll go—"

_Ding dong._

Luna's eyes narrowed on the front door. The curtains were drawn so all she could see was a shadow swaying behind the orange fabric. All talk stopped. Artemis hurried to the front door. His wife saw his jaw clench, and she unconsciously pulled Diana closer to her side. Artemis hesitated when he reach the entry. Then, he reached forward and twisted the gold knob.

Lita gasped when the door pulled back to reveal Amara's tall figure. The platinum blonde racer scrutinized the man blocking her path. "Who are you?"

Mina gaped, "Amara?"

Ice, blue eyes darted to the interior of the room. She didn't act surprised to see the girls staring back at her. "Good. You made it back."

Artemis politely stepped back to allow the woman entrance. She was wearing an odd outfit. When she was out on the porch, the dark attire had appeared to be a full pair of tights, but upon entering, the fabric caught the light. Amara wore a wet suit used for scuba diving. The group's wonderment steadily grew as they lowered their sights and saw her feet were bare and dirty.

Additional footsteps stole the racer's spotlight and the house watched new faces enter. All were familiar and welcomed, but their presence caused more sorrow than joy. It was quickly noticed by the arrivals. Michelle studied the expressions on the surrounding faces and felt the weight of her worries grow heavier. Trista clutched Hotaru's small hand as her eyes found the purple crowned woman. Their eyes met, but neither made any move to speak. Rei saw the two connect their eyes and briefly thought the women had met some time before that moment. Amara was too busy gauging the emotional distress of the room to take note of her teammate.

"How did you beat us to the house?" Amara inquired stonily. Her tone was full of accusation. Her eyes scanned the faces once more, but no one spoke.

Michelle clutched her hands to her bosom. Her heart was ready to leap out of her chest when she didn't spot the one face she was desperate to see. "Where's Ami?"

* * *

His knees hit the floor hard, but he didn't voice his pain. Instead, Zoisite scrambled to face the doorway. The other generals pushed inside. They gave him no room to slip out, but he wasn't about to try and escape. The men threw out their arms and Zoisite watched her stumble forward and collapse. Her body fell into the cast of shadows, hiding her face. He immediately crawled over to her side, completely ignoring the men. He found her cheek and cupped it in his warm palm. Her teeth were chattering as if she was freezing. He pulled her into his lap and braced her shaking body against his chest in an effort to cease her trembling.

The shadows slowly closed in around the duo as the door was pulled closed. Zoisite forced his eyes from her trembling form in time to see the last slice of light disappear behind the heavy metal door. He's heart shrunk at the sight and slowly he returned his focus to the woman trembling in his arms.

It was dark inside the concrete walls, but there was a faint, bluish light stretching out from between the bars of the overhead vent. It wasn't a very strong glow and only barely brushed his upturn face. It didn't reach any of the four corners and only gave the barest hint of a moonlit night. Zoisite knew, however, that the sun had yet to set.

He could see her eyes were squeezed shut and her lips were twisted into a strained line. Sweat covered her face and her bangs were wet against her forehead. He gently pushed back her hair. "Ami?"

She was jumping about in his arms. The veins were twitching beneath the skin and her fingers kept curling and uncurling. His arm supported her neck, but her head was bobbing up and down.

"Ames, come on," he whispered frantically. "Talk to me."

Her eyelashes fluttered. Her shaking hand twisted around his frayed collar. His hand quickly covered hers. Between the chattered of her teeth, the thin woman mumbled, "W-Where am I-I?"

"We're inside a prison cell."

"W-We?" she squeezed his shirt collar. Her voice was a bare thread, ready to break on the smallest of syllables.

His heart skipped, "It's me, Ames. It's Zoisite."

The blue in her irises had tinted with dull gray. She tried to focus on his face, but it was a trial. She clamped her teeth together and forced her body to brace against his arms.

"I c-can't remember much," she stuttered softly. She swallowed, and again tried to focus on his face. It was far too dark to see anything. Sighing harshly, she curled deeper into his chest. "My c-chest hurts s-so much."

Tears pricked his eyes and Zoisite pressed her hard against him, "Sh. Sh. It's okay."

Her white fingers reached for her heart. "Something's wrong. It's too quiet."

"We're in a cell, love," Zoisite ran his fingers through her tangled hair. "It's supposed to be quiet."

"No," Ami mumbled, eyes sliding close. "No, it's quiet in here."

Her fingers tapped against the spot over her heart. After a few taps, she began to claw at the spot. She began to sob. "I can't hear it."

"Ami—"

"I can't hear it!" she wailed, breaking down into soft whimpers. "I c-can't…"

Her face was drenched along with his shirt. She was trembling again, but this time it was because of her sobs. Ami felt so out of control. She couldn't stop crying and all because her chest was hollow.

"What?" Zoisite persisted, shoving his nose into her hair. "What can't you hear?"

Ami's hand went limp. She could feel the hollowness stretching. Her soul was miles of empty road surrounded by dry, flat land. All of it was unyielding to any flutter of existence. "I can't hear the water."

Zoisite's heart heaved and he was overcome with a horrible sensation of fear. It had taken him a moment to figure out what her words meant, but now he had it. She had lost her gift.

Ami swallowed and gentle tapped her fingers again. "I c-can't hear it anymore. I haven't heard a single drop since they…"

Zoisite gripped her and squeezed his eyes close. He didn't want to see her face. He couldn't take it. Ami heard his harsh intake of air. Surely, he wasn't crying.

Ami fell into defeat. _'It's gone.'_

"I'm sorry, Ami," he brokenly cried into her hair. He was as helpless as a boy once again. Guilt, need, despair was rolled all up in his heart. _'I've failed in every way to the person I swore my life.'_

* * *

**_A/N: Man, that's a lot of emotions. I hoped I conveyed them as realistically as possible. This was a very difficult chapter. Please, review and tell me what you thought of it. I'm very anxious. _**


	28. Slipping Through the Cracks

_**A/N: Sorry for the wait. I've had the worst writer's block. I couldn't write for a solid week and a half. Somehow I pushed this out. I hope it is to your approval.**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 28: Slipping Through the Cracks_

* * *

_-Flashback-_

_Ami followed in the Queen's wake. Rei was on her left, walking in perfect sync with the Mercurian's strides. Ami couldn't stop scanning the lines of Earth's guards against the corridor. She had been on edge since they had walked off the gangplank of the ship twenty minutes ago. This wasn't the royal family's first visit to the green planet, but this was Ami's first guard duty outside of the Silver Kingdom's borders. She knew Amara was watching for the results of the day and Ami was anxious to prove her value on the trip. _

_Michelle was running point today. Normally, Amara was head guard when one of the royals visited Earth. Amara was not the oldest guard, but the most territorial. She had won many battles in the Queen's name before the Circle had been formed. As leader to the royal guard, she was loathed to falter in responsibility. She had become obsessed with her position over the years. When the Circle had been inducted, she had been frustrated with her Queen's decision. Amara couldn't understand why more guards were needed when she had proven her invincibility. Eventually, she relented to the young students after her Queen's advisement, but the blonde leader was frustrated and pushed all of the fury into he harsh teaching habits._

_The second storm had come in the leader's personality when Amara had gained word that one of the new Senshi would become a secondary leader of the royal guard. Amara was lucky to have enough sense to hold her tongue about the matter, but her lessons had doubled in hostility. It was only when she heard that one of her students was to become the overseer of the Moon Princess's personal safety that Amara became truly insulted. All training had ceased and Amara had kept to the Queen's study for a solid three days. She had raised all sorts of arguments against the Queen's decision. She had called Ami naïve, green, incapable, and faulty to the Queen's immovable expression. After three days of waiting, the girls watched their leader exit the castle and storm to the training grounds. For five hours, Amara, Lady of Uranus, bury all her fury at the grounds within her punches and kicks. Thus, Ami's passion grew upon the sight. She wanted nothing more than to prove her indispensable employment to her teacher and her Queen. _

_The blue haired princess believed Michelle had been chosen point man for the trip because the Queen wanted Amara to slowly relinquish her control over the Senshi. The Queen did not doubt Amara's capabilities. Queen Serenity had made that clear the multiple times she had praised the woman in front of the Senshi. Ami could only wonder why the Queen was shifting the ranks. _

'_Now is not the time,' Ami inwardly scolded as her gaze lingered too long on a painting on her left. She forced her face back into scanning the line of guards. 'You are in foreign territory with the Queen under your charge. Keep focus before someone gets hurt.'_

_She doubted she needed to be harsh on herself. This wasn't the Queen's first visit to Earth. Plus, in the last six months, the two kingdoms had already had extensive meetings ending in favorable agreements. There had been only politeness and warm smiles. There was nothing that suggested treachery, but Ami was ever worried. _

_Her eyes darted to the front of the hall, zeroing in on the huge double doors that waited with arms wide open. She could barely see past the pair of guards holding the way open. Ami rolled back her shoulders as they grew near the room. Beside her, Rei tugged on the bottom hem of her shirt. The white uniforms were a bit constricting for women who were trained to fight. Rei hated the uniforms with a vicious passion, "How are we expected to protect our Queen in skirts?"_

_At least, they were allowed to wear flat shoes. _

_They arrived at the doors and passed inside. The guards lining the hall pretended not to watch their awaited entrance, but Ami saw the suspicious glance through the corner of their eyes. She easily turned away. She was not the least bit bothered by their blunt interest in her party. Lower ranking soldiers knew little about relations inside the courts. They were always trying to sniff out what was happening. _

_Her worries were better focused on the higher ranking soldiers, specifically the Generals. She had only met four of the five men at various social interludes. She knew little beyond the fact that they were charming, hansom, and endlessly curious about the Moon's society. The girls were smitten with the Generals. Rei tried to deny it, but she had been caught twice stealing glimpses of the men. Ami definitely appreciated the men's attractive features. She was, after all, a young woman. Sadly, she could find no sense of relaxation around the men. She was always on edge when they came around and often fund some excuse to escape their presence. She marked her anxiety as innocence to the opposite sex, but she was concerned that her instincts were instead flaring in distrust. Either way she avoided the men to keep her head above water. _

_Today, sadly, there was no room for her to runaway. Today, her Queen had come to speak with the Queen of Earth about a social function to support foreign relations. Today, Ami had been requested by Queen Serenity to meet with the Generals, as the new Head of Security, to discuss security matters for the function._

'_Stupid promotion,' Ami inwardly grumbled. She would rather run tactical analysis on the ship than suffer through fifteen minutes of small talk with one of the Generals, specifically the Western Lord. The General had taken every opportunity to speak with her. Sure, all the Generals spoke with her, but he was the only one who pursued her in conversation within a group. He was the one she avoided most. As she stepped through the doorway, the singular pray that beat through her heart was for Lord Zoisite not to be the Head of Earth's Security. _

_The doors slid by her gaze and then, golden walls surrounded her. She was momentarily stunned by their brilliance. She followed the cream walls splattered with golden vinery wallpaper and enormous paintings of esteemed figures. Shining chandeliers naturally twirled over their heads. Ami tore her eyes away from the decorations, reminding herself that she had seen her share of great halls. She was, after all, a princess. _

_Her gaze narrowed on the pair of golden thrones lined with maroon velvet cushions at the head of the room. Golden sheers spilled down from the ceiling over the seats, casting a haunting effect. The sheers were pulled to the side, allowing Ami to see a woman draped in a violet, trailing dress. Brown eyes blinked behind long lashes and short black hair was spun back into a bun decorated with pins and flowers. She stood from her seat with careful grace. _

"_Good morrow, ladies," the woman proclaimed, stepping down. She waved her hand and Ami heard the doors close behind them. The Mercurian Princess spun on her heel, fully ready to fight. Rei merely glanced over her shoulder, not too concerned. Two unarmed guards stood in front of the doors. Ami relaxed considerably when she realized there was no threat. She bashfully turned back around with her face down. _

_Rei gave a sidelong glance and whispered, "Calm down, Ames."_

"_Sorry," the girl mumbled back. She looked back towards the thrones and spotted two of the Generals standing casually beside their queen. One of the men was the lord she had hoped to avoid. 'Curse my foul luck.'_

"_I hope your trip was not too rocky," the Earthian Queen said. "I heard there was a storm that crossed your path."_

"_Yes, there was, but we're able to fly fast enough to escape it. Thank you for your concern." Queen Serenity took the other royal's hand and gave a full curtsy. _

_Ami's attention digressed from the small talk between the royals. Her eyes unconsciously drifted to the Generals. The man who stood with Zoisite was the Lord of the North, Malachite. It appeared her luck came in two fold. _

_Malachite was the least friendly of the bunch. He was not a talkative person. When it was necessary for him to speak up, conversation usually stuck to politics and war tactics. Personal matters were carefully avoided. Mina had noted his lack of information from the beginning. His mysterious nature made the blonde Senshi eager to learn everything she could. She had said her efforts to learn about him were necessary because they needed to know as much as they could about the Generals. The girls saw it for what it was. Mina had a crush on the man. _

_It wasn't his lack of talk that bothered Ami. He made her uncomfortable because she could feel his eyes constantly watching her. Every time her back was turn the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Once, she had caught him watching her in the reflection of a metallic water pitcher. It was the same penetrating gaze that she was showered with by Amara. They both scrutinized her with hard look that peeled away her skin, searching behind her poker face. Malachite unnerved her as much as Zoisite. _

_Ami kept her eyes away from the Western Lord. She didn't want to see him try and catch her attention. She looked back to the queens. _

_"Would you, Lady Serenity, be against moving to the garden? The Sakura blossoms are in bloom and we could have a nice cup of tea while we discuss the gathering."_

_Ami saw her queen grinned excitedly, "That would be wonderful. I would love to see the type of flowers that originate on your world."_

_The royals fell into step with each other. Their chatter was warm and excited. Ami watched Michelle and Rei follow behind the women. Ami fell into step behind them. The Generals headed off the group and politely pulled open a set of doors at the side of the room. The Queen gave the men their gratitude before walking out. Ami and the girls quietly nodded their own thanks. She heard them follow a half of step behind her and she unconsciously straightened. _

_A few minutes later, the queens were seating at a wire table beneath one of the many Sakura trees lining the garden walls. Michelle and Malachite kept near to the royals, but from Ami's perspective it didn't appear that either was speaking. She, Rei, and Zoisite were a bit farther off, walking through the assortment of flowers. Rei bent over to inspect a red bud. _

_"My lord, what is the name of this flower?"_

_Zoisite glanced down. "It's a rose. The royal emblem of my King's house."_

_"Interesting," Rei commented. "We have the same flower. We also call it a rose."_

"_That's because the rose that grows on the moon originally came from Earth," Ami informed. "The seeds were given as a gift by one of the former kings of Earth to Queen Gloria six hundred years ago."_

"_Truly I did not know that tidbit." Zoisite said. "I must say that you know quite a lot, Lady Ami. Might I inquire to your education?"_

_Ami blushed lightly, "My father sought some of the great tutors, but most of my education was self taught. One my great joys are books."_

"_So I have heard from your sisters," Zoisite nodded to Rei. _

_Ami was surprised, 'He's been asking about me?'_

_She gingerly headed deeper into the flowers. She prayed he would leave her be. His presence was too confusing to her erratic heart. As expected, he followed her. She tried to ignore him as she ran her fingers along the flower petals. When he came alongside her, she took a nervous glance over her shoulder to signal Rei to save her. Grinning wickedly, the priestess gave a small wave towards her friend's desperate expression. Ami glowered, 'I'll get you later, Rei.'_

"_Lady Ami, did you know the name of this flower?" _

_She spun her face back around. Looking down, she quickly tried to place the colorful blossom. "I believe that is a Hibiscus."_

_Zoisite smiled, "Impressive. Are flowers a favorite subject of yours? You appear to know a bit of foreign plants." _

_"In all honesty, Lord Zoisite, I only know about them because one of my sisters adores gardens. I buy her mostly seeds for her birthdays. I bought her a Hibiscus only last year."_

_"Darn," Zoisite laughed. "I thought maybe I found a subject that would strike some interest."_

_He gave a small sigh, "No offense, Lady Ami, but you seem to be a hard woman to engage."_

_Ami looked at him perplex. He shook his head with a small smile, "I say that only because almost every conversation I have had with you has only last a few short minutes."_

_She turned deep red. "I-I'm very sorry for my rudeness, my lord. I s-simply am a poor converser—" _

_"I beg, my dear lady," he held up his hand. "Do not degrade yourself. Malachite is a poor converser. You, my dear, I believe is merely shy."_

_Ami's face grew hotter. She quietly hid her face by studying the flowers. She didn't know what to say to such a true statement. She thought she had been a little more discreet. _

_"Were you an only child, my lady?" His voice was the softest velvet to her ears. _

_She glanced back towards the queens. Nothing was out of sorts. Ami returned her eyes to the beautiful colors before answering delicately, "Yes."_

_When he said nothing in response, she asked. "Does it show?"_

_He shifted beside her, "Not as much as you think."_

_His profile didn't explain the meaning behind the statement. She guessed it meant she was a hard one to decrypt, but she had a gut feeling there was more behind it. Befuddled, she returned her focus to the aisle of stone and colors. She was grateful he didn't offer any further conversation. _

* * *

She woke up to the blue shrouded room. Ami blinked slowly, letting the color light creep further across her vision and reveal the lines of the room. Squinting, she saw Zoisite's face leaning over her. His eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted. He almost looked like he was stooping down to kiss her, but then she felt his chest exhale against her arm. A few deep breaths and she was certain he was asleep with her lying across his lap.

Her body was sore. Though his arm had been her pillow, it now dug into her spine. She went to turn into a better position and Zoisite stiffened beneath her. She instantly froze, fearful he was waking. She didn't relax until his breathing returning into its previous pattern.

Yesterday was stirring in her memories. She flinched when random images forced their way to the forefront. Ami squeezed and pushed away, but they followed. She didn't want to think on it. She had cried herself to sleep last night and wasn't all that eager to return to that place of turmoil.

Ami thought of the dream. She tried to decipher its significance. Was it the moment she fell into his trap? Did she grow curious and become drawn to him? The memory was so vague about their relationship. Why was she remembering him? Why was he so important? Did her sorrow of his betrayal haunt her? Had it chased her into her new life?

Her eyes closed. _'Queen Serenity, are you trying to tell me something?'_

She listened to the silence that swallowed her in a cocoon. Her heart wept to hear the emptiness. _'Please, talk to me. Help me.'_

She tensely waited for the air to split. She was desperate to hear the smallest sound of recognition. When no answer came, she fell against his lap.

The world was so different with the silence. She was normally surrounded by a flurry of sensations, especially during winter. When she was younger she could barely stay sane with so many noises swirling around her. Even when she had been first kidnapped, there had been some shadow of white noise whispering beyond earshot. Instead, there was a deafening wall like a tomb. There was no whisper, no stir. Sadly, the stillness was not as peaceful as the movies suggested. It was a raw touch, making her feel open and vulnerable. Yet, she was alone, forgotten. She had been abandoned.

_'It's too quiet.'_

Ami pressed her palm against her chest. There was a wide ache, deep in her ribcage. It was a carved sensation as if someone had scooped out a part of her chest and left a hole. Her fingers pressed against the spot, but there was only unmarred skin beneath her dirty shirt. Exhaling softly, her fingers trailed down her sternum and found her hip. The torn flesh was freshly woven back together by Zoisite's gift, but there was still a dull throb.

She was still a shamble. Her extensive injuries were healed, but their memories made her movement jagged. Her arm ached with each move and her hip was stiff. It would take some time before her body was back in order.

'_But how long do I have? How long have I slept?'_

She gingerly rolled her head away from Zoisite and studied the shadows. She couldn't see the outline of a door and there were no windows. There was no way of knowing what time it was.

'_How long?'_

Her body inwardly roared, the aching stiffness was becoming too much. Ami carefully rotated her body. As she made her way to the edge of Zoisite's knees, she listened to his heavy breathing. Making sure to not wake him, Ami rolled onto her hands and knees. Once their bodies had lost contact, she slowly rolled up to her feet. She rose to an unsteady stand. She stretched her limbs and cracked her neck before pacing the enclosure.

'_What now? Do they leave us in here while they kill the girls? Will they experiment on us?'_ She flexed the muscles throughout her bad forearm. _'Isn't our purpose served? Why not kill us? Are they going to use us as bargaining chips for the girls' crystal shards? Why? They didn't need to bargain for my shard. They merely rip it from me.'_

Ami faced the wall and quietly ran her fingers across the surface. It was rough like her old cell's wall. She looked down its expansion and noticed a corner. She scowled, _'This cell has corners? What?'_

She pushed away. Pointless. Corners in a cell couldn't be a clue to anything.

She suddenly became listless. She leaned backwards and let her eyes close again. Why did she bother? Nothing she had done in this life or the last had helped. If she tried again, she could fail again. _'But what was worse than this?'_

She saw Serena covered in blood, Hotaru strapped to a table screaming, and random sprays of shattered glass and red blood. She saw that black creature's shining eyes and Greg's dark monster. She saw the Crystal Castle collapsing and Zoisite stabbing her. She saw the ER swamped with casualties and her father walking out the front door. She saw her cat dead in her sheets and her snow globes bursting.

There was overwhelming anger followed by sinking guilt. She shriveled. She could hear her own voice yelling. She could hear all her failures being yelled over the silence. It was enveloping her, tearing her. Ami was ready to start crying. She pressed her face into her hands.

'_Too much. It's too much. What do I do?'_

"Ames?" She sighed when she heard his voice. She still loved the sound of her name on his lips. His fingers brushed her cheek and she looked up into his jade eyes. He was blinking sleepily in the darkness. "Hey, you okay?"

"I guess," she mumbled. Her stomach twisted when she felt his palm. "There's a lot…going on in my head…"

He moved closer, trapping her body between him and the wall. His warmth was comforting in the cold room. At the same time, she felt vulgar. It was the same hand that had plunged the dagger in her stomach. She knew the man from the past was distinctly separate from the man in front of her, but her instincts were not convinced.

Involuntarily, she shoved her hands against his chest and hurried into the nearest corner. She kept her back to him, unwilling to meet his eyes. She wanted to apologize, but she was having trouble slowing down her heart. Ami couldn't believe how exposed she felt at that moment. She knew her past life would mess with her emotions, but she didn't think she would be terrified of the man who had protected her for the last months. It was strange. She had felt so safe with him before yesterday. She had a bond with him that had run deeper than her relationship with Greg. The bond was a little illogical and highly influenced by her damsel in distress situation, but none the less, she had connected to him in a resounding way. She couldn't escape the tug to him for the last two months. She was drawn to him.

She pressed her forehead against the wall and swallowed.

"I'm sorry," She rasped.

"It's okay." He was right behind her. "I understand. I wouldn't want to be near me either."

She shook her head. "It's not that. It's h-hard to think straight."

Her throat went tight as another wild flutter passed through her stomach.

She was surprised when he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She stiffened as her emotions pulled into two directions. She forced herself to not fight his arms. Ami squeezed her eyes closed and took slow, even breaths.

"I know I'm not much," he whispered, tightening his arms. "Especially after what we've learned. But, I'm here."

_'Here?'_ Her eyes opened. He looked down at her, searching in her deep sapphires. _'Here?'_

What was 'here'? What was 'there'? What was left?

Her aching legs crumbled. Zoisite hurried to support her. "Ami?"

She grabbed his shoulders. "It's o-okay. I'm a little w-weak, but I'm okay."

Dizziness swept down to her knees and she pressed her forehead into his shoulder. She slumped down into his lap, barely hanging on. She didn't know what to do anymore. Everything was a wreck. She was a wreck. The world was a wreck. All because of her. Her. Her!

Ami grimaced, _'I'm going in circles. This is useless.'_

_Clink._

Ami started, "What was that?"

He shifted, "I'm not sure. I think one of us drop something."

"Drop…" She froze before pushing out of his arms and beginning to search on her hands and knees for the object that had struck the floor. "It must have been the stone."

"Stone?" Zoisite asked. "What are you talking about?"

"The Stones of the Heavenly Kings," she stated loudly, sweeping her hand across the floor. "It's the last one."

"Last one?" He rushed to ask. "You used the other one already?"

Ami nodded, still searching. "Yes, Malachite has his stone so that leaves one left."

Her hand found an uprise of the floor. Her thumb knocked up against it and the chunk of floor rolled. Ami hastily grabbed the chunk. It wasn't the floor, but a stone. It was the stone.

"The last stone?" His voice was a thin thread.

Ami shifted onto her rear and brought the stone up over her head so it would catch the light. The familiar shape made the man's heart flutter.

"That's it," Zoisite exclaimed softly. "That could be the way out."

Ami pulled the stone down from the light. "The way out?"

"Yes!" Zoisite insisted. "If the stones are all in place, then our memories will return. The Generals will defect."

He reached for the stone, but she hastily pulled it out of reach. Ami pushed back his hand. "No, they won't. These memories are murderous blood thirst. You saw it."

Zoisite sat down beside her. He immediately recalled the image of blood pouring over his clutched dagger. The image made his stomach leap.

"That was only part of the memories," His eyes were locked on the stone, almost pleading with it to speak in his defense. "Remember Luna said that the Generals regretted their betrayal of the crown. Won't they remember their guilt as well as the murders?"

Ami turned dead eyes to him, "How can we be sure? How can we know that this stone won't make things worse?"

Zoisite shifted closer. He could see the worry and distress evident in her body. Their shoulders brushed against each other and he was glad to feel her lean closer. Ami pushed the tears back and she gently wrapped her hand around his arm. She was so close to the edge.

"W-What if not everything comes back?" Ami cried softly. "What if you become like before? What if you t-try to kill me…again?"

What if she lost her second love?

No, there was no question about it. She _was_ losing him. They were both going to be killed.

"Ami, I could never—"

"Don't lie to me," she snapped. Tears streamed down her face in the darkness. Her thumb rubbed across the stone's surface, feeling the blunted edge. "You don't know what could happen if we use the stone on you."

There was a heavy stretch of silence.

"Are we even sure that this stone is mine?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, I had another dream of the past last night. You were called the General of the Western Corner."

Zoisite was surprised to hear recognition inside the title. "I was Lord of the West. I remember that."

She pulled her knees up to her chest. She felt safer when she curled up into a tight ball. She didn't feel so sprawled out. "In my dream, you were the one who was meant to discover the truth of the Senshi. You picked me because I was the Head of Security. You built a bond between us so you could find out all you could about the Senshi. I was never important to you."

She wiped away a tear. She was definitely at the edge of a precipice if she was talking so easily with her emotions so jumbled. She blinked rapidly and more tears fell. She didn't think she had this many tears to cry. "W-What if you forget me?"

Zoisite's heart stopped. Had he heard right? His eyes slid to her profile and saw the blue light glisten across her line of tears. She was crying. She was crying for him. Zoisite's heart grew loud in his ears when he saw the tears were still pouring down her cheeks. He breathed her name and she turned. Their eyes connected for that dark, beautiful second before he leaned in for her pale lips. He knew it wasn't the time or the setting, by he was pulled to her.

To his dismay, the cell door abruptly opened on his empty side. He spun to see a figure stepping into their prison followed by two others. Zoisite felt Ami grabbed his nearest hand and shove the stone into his palm. His eyes widened and his fingers enclosed around the object. She knew what the generals' appearance meant. Zoisite frantically followed her to their feet and placed himself in front of her. Malachite purposefully strode forward and grabbed the man's collar. He firmly ripped Zoisite away from the hiding woman. Ami reached for him, but Jedite hurried and grabbed her. She fought against his grip as he began to drag her towards the door. "Zoi!"

"Ames!" He lurched against the slightly taller man. He couldn't let them take her. He would never see her again if they took her away. He knew it deep down in his gut. Nephrite was soon helping Malachite to hold him back. Zoisite gritted his teeth as rage began to build in him. "Let me go!"

Ami broke from Jedite's hold and raced for the other men. Nephrite saw her coming, but he couldn't relinquish his hold on his prisoner. Zoisite, on the other hand, couldn't believe she was missing her chance to escape. Didn't she see she had a chance to plow pass Jedite? He yelled at her to run, but she didn't seem to hear his howling cry.

Ami pushed passed the Nephrite's shoulder and cupped Zoisite's cheek. She had pushed forward so quickly he hadn't been sure what she was doing until her lips had pressed firmly against his. Zoisite's heart exploded into a thousand falling stars as her warm lips danced across his mouth. It was both joyous and tragic in that moment. He could feel her wet tears slipping between them. Oh, he hadn't dreamed of pain within the passionate moment, but in a way, it made the kiss a treasure within their darkness. She gave into the kiss, pouring raw emotion into the small contact. He sampled each flutter passing through him and savored it. He had only begun to lead the waltz of their kiss before she was ripped away by Jedite.

It was the shortest of passionate kisses. The kiss could almost be called a peck, if it hadn't been full of burning emotions. Zoisite swallowed and pushed his heart back down into his chest. He blinked a few times and realized his love was being pulled out of the cell. That shook him.

"Ami!" He hollered. She was pulled out the door and he heard their struggling steps fading down the hall. His time with her was spent. He lurched against the generals' hands in one last effort. "I love you, Ami!"

As his words faded, he listened intently for her reply. Zoisite became disheartened to not even hear her feet out in the hall. Malachite and Nephrite broke from him and though he tried to follow, they shut the door close in his face, forever separating him from his beloved. Zoisite stood silently inside the prison cell. His eyes stared at the door, envisioning her tear-stained face disappearing behind its veiling edge. He wondered if she had heard his declaration.

* * *

A little under an hour after leaving the cabin, the group had parked their two vehicles at the top of a rise overlooking a crop of skyscrapers and houses within the cradle of mountain peaks. They quietly spilled out onto the cliff edge, creeping up to the metal fence that blocked them from the plummet. Their curious eyes studied the pale rooftops. One particular jutting white column caught their immediate attention.

"So that's the base? Doesn't look that impressive," Rei grumbled, handing off the binoculars to Lita. The brunette lifted the dark specs and examined the white tower jutting up out of the center of the city.

"It does look fortified," the brunette commented. "I see a tall fence, security posts, not many cams, but no easy entrance."

"I promise it's worse inside than it looks on the outside," Artemis reported, coming around the parked vehicle with two heavy duffle bags.

Amara gave a curt nod at the comment. Her fingers ideally picked at the buttons on the polo she borrowed from Artemis. Michelle saw how eager her cousin was to move on into town. The racer's eyes were set on the building. There was a stormy anger clouding the blue irises. She looked ready to tear down the building with her bare hands. Michelle sighed. Her cousin wasn't particular close to Ami, but she was loyal. The young girl had, after all, exchanged her life for each of theirs.

Mina anxiously tapped her foot. "Ami, did say she looked online on the NVerse Corporation website was able to get an estimate on how many people were employed. At the minimum there are three thousand people inside that place."

"Three thousand?" Michelle gaped, bringing her white hand to cover her heart. She resembled an actress playing some dramatic scene. "That place didn't look big enough to house that many people."

Mina bit down on her thumbnail, giving no explanation. Her blue eyes couldn't leave the white tower. The building look like a flag or banner bore in an army charging to war. There was majesty in its stand. Authority. Perhaps, Rei failed to see the strength in its appearance, but Mina saw pass the woman's stubbornness. That building wasn't a simple laboratory as the newspaper article claimed. What lab was built in the form of a tower?

Serena glanced at Mina and saw how her friend was unnerved. It wasn't a good sign to see Mina uncertain. Sure, there was an occasional far off look or bite of her lower lip, but she didn't bite her thumb unless she was really worried. Considering their predicament, Serena supposed the thumbnail bite was justified. This mission was by far the largest scale attack they had ever planned. Mina was uncertain if she could handle the load as team leader on this one.

Serena quietly moved over to her. Looking out at the city, she squeezed her friend's trembling hand. "Ami has always trusted you as leader. She would trust you especially now."

Mina shook off the small jolt of joy her words brought and hung her head. "I don't know if she should."

Guns clanged against the hood of the Mercury as Artemis began emptying the duffel bags. With her cell phone pressed to her ear, Luna began to count how many guns were spread across the hood. Trista leaned forward and began to straighten the pile into a more countable formation. Luna waited for Trista to finish.

"How are Diana and Hotaru doing?" Luna asked to the nameless face on the other end of the phone line. "I hope they aren't still pouting."

Serena watched the woman pace alongside the car. Luna brought a hand up to her forehead and scratched at the worry line creasing across her brow. "Really? That upset?"

Rei glanced back towards their hostess. She had the exact same worry line as the purpled haired cat. Luna sighed heavily, "Darn. Could you please do me a favor and buy them both ice cream? That usually calms down, Diana. I'm not sure if Hotaru will like it. She wasn't happy with being left behind."

Luna shuffled a little and turned back to the gun covered hood. She momentarily pulled her mouth away from the cell. "How many do we have?"

Artemis pushed a cartridge to the edge of the hood. "Eleven guns. Twenty unused mags."

Mina turned. "That's not much. You think we should stop somewhere and stock up first?"

"The longer we take, the longer Ami and Zoi are waiting," Rei proclaimed, stalking to the car. "We need to get moving."

"Besides, we can't purchase anything around here," Artemis began handing out the small handguns. The girls slowly stepped forward. Artemis almost had to shove the guns into their palms. Guns weren't part of their daily lives though the cat couple acted otherwise. Though they could wield weapons, such as fire and roaring winds, far more threatening than the handguns, they were still unnatural to have the cold metal weight in their palms. Only Amara acted calmly when she took her gun. She grabbed it without hesitation and slipped it into the back of her waistband. Michelle could tell, however, that her cousin was putting up a front.

"Wait!" Luna abruptly froze in mid step with a high pitched squeal in her tone. Heads rose. The woman didn't appear to notice. "She's not in the room? Is Diana still there?"

The group hung on her last words with growing dread. Artemis whirled with a gun in his hand. His normally cool demeanor cracked. "What happened?"

Luna waved him off with an angry scowl. "You're sure she's not there?"

There was second of waiting before Luna cursed. She turned to the group and pointed to the two nearest girls. "Check the cars. Hotaru's missing."

Mina and Rei hurried to the cars while Artemis stepped into the woman's line of sight. Luna's eyes rose to his frightened expression. She sighed lightly. "Diana's there and safe, but somehow Hotaru slipped out the house."

"I should have double checked on her when she ran crying into the bedroom," Michelle scolded. She grounded her palm into her forehead. Trista hurried to wrap her teammate into a loose hug and whisper consoling words.

Amara shook her head, "It's all our faults."

"Found her!" Mina exclaimed from the back of the Ford Escape. Running around to the back of the vehicle, the group stared in dismay as the blonde held up a heap of tarp to reveal the small child.

Hotaru stared up with guilty expression. "Sorry."

* * *

As she was dragged down the corridors by the three generals, she knew immediately where they were headed. Zoisite's cry had warmed her heart up to this point. Now, coldness had taken hold due to her approaching destination. She began fighting harder against her captors. The monster waiting behind the door wasn't something she was ready to face again.

To her immense displeasure, she didn't have enough power to throw them all off. She was forced into the throne room. She saw Greg, Beryl, and the man she knew as the former prince of Earth, Endymion, waiting for them. The horrible curtain was ever present.

Ami was flung to the floor at the table's feet. She skidded and toppled against the legs. She scrambled to face the surrounding group with her heart was hammering hard against her ribcage. She was amazed to find enough courage to work her vocal cords. "What do you want now?"

There wasn't an answer. The Generals stepped behind their former prince. The handsome royal was no longer wearing the odd tux from earlier. He was wearing a black suit of armor with a red rose painted on the breastplate. His eyes were warm as he studied her. Ami ignored the fuzzy feeling his gaze brought and decided to lash out. If she kept to a single emotion, she was able to keep her thoughts straight. Anger at the moment had won out. "What more could you want from me? What more can I give?"

"Give?" Sharp heels clicked across the floor. Beryl walked towards her with her bright red lips lifting into a haughty sneer. She tossed back her scarlet mane and came to tower over the shaking girl. "You mean what more can we take from you."

"Whatever," Ami hissed, glaring up at the woman. Ami pulled her back up a little straighter as Beryl laughed lightly. Ami couldn't believe it was the same woman ruining her life all over again. Did fate truly intend to torture her up to her last hour? _'Careful, Ames. Don't get too ahead of yourself. There still playing some sort of game with you. That means this isn't over quite yet.'_

"If there's nothing more you can take, then you must intend to kill me," Ami growled. She pushed all the anger she could into her voice. "Then, hurry it up."

Beryl rolled her eyes, still laughing. "Do you think us so merciful that we would spare you from watching your friends die?"

Ami clenched her teeth. _'That little…'_

"For you shall be given the grandest seat to watch your friends die," Beryl walked like a Queen around the girl. She twirled the flap of her train in the girl's face, making the Senshi flinch. Ami was humiliated at having to cower under the woman. She wished she had the chance to throw an ice patch under the woman's feet and show her share of humiliation. Beryl brought a bright red fingernail to her pouted lips. "You fail yet again to understand the full extent of your situation. Don't you know that you are still useful to us?"

"How?" Ami bit. "As bait? I'm sure the girls are already on their way"

Beryl's sparkling eyes lifted to the dark curtain. The seductress' smile was softer. "Queen Met aria, may I please tell her?"

'_Queen Metaria?'_ Ami saw the curtain shift and those horrible, red eyes open. Ami tried to crawl backwards on her hands. Those eyes stabbed into the vault of her soul. She could feel her secrets unwinding. There was nothing else in the world more terrifying than the creature that stared her down. Her skin was crawling all over. Ami nearly scream when her back hit the Prince's shins.

"The honor is mine, Beryl. Remember your place."

Ami was encouraged to see a flash of irritation cross the woman's face as bowed to the curtain. "My apologies, Queen Metaria."

"I had intended to kill you," the old, slithering voice spoke from the veil. Ami cringed as she saw the red eyes become set on her face. Ami trembled at the prince's feet. The smoke twisted up the black daggers of its fangs. "That was the initial plan, but that plan had also included your pack coming with you to infiltrate my hollow. Without them yet in my reach, your life is more valuable, for the time being, alive than dead. I shall make you suffer for holding back our sisters. You shall witness a second time your friends dying."

Ami unconsciously gripped the Prince's shoe in her hand. "I'll kill myself."

"Would you be so selfish?" the voice whispered. "Yes, yes. I know if given the chance you would slit your own throat to protect them. It is the passion of your foolish hearts that tell me this. Regardless, I believe I can sway your hand."

"Your wrong," Ami stated desperately. "I'm not afraid to kill myself."

A hollow laugh reverberated from the darkness. "Oh, the passionate declaration of the tragic heroine. Do you truly believe that those empty words can save you? How is it that they empower you to stand up against my almighty power? It is merely syllables passed from the tongue and given fading voice. It will not save you. It did not save you then. I tell you that you cannot protect yourself from my magic."

Ami angrily pushed off the prince's boots. In the corner of her eye, she saw the generals become tense and reach for their guns. Beryl got out of her path and hid behind the nearest shoulder. The broken woman took a few unsteady steps and glared at the black demon's face. "Take me, then. You've already broken my body. Surely, my suffering is not worth keeping me alive. What is it that you want from me?"

The dark churned. "Everything."

Ami plunged recklessly towards the monster. She wanted to rip out her eyes. She wanted to destroy the being that had torn apart two timelines. Her knee buckled halfway towards the stage. She fell, but she wasn't ready to give up. She swung up her face, her blue tresses tossing back.

Black hands wrapped around her limbs. Ami yelled when their grip turned bruising. Ami's head hung down as she tried to breathed pass the pain. Metaria jostled her. "Do you not realize how defenseless you are, little princess?"

"I'd rather die fighting, then die cowering." Ami whispered. Her fists curled against the hard tile and her eyes peeked through her stringy, blue hair. _'Come on.''_

Ami cringed when the smoke surged towards her. Dry flesh brushed against her skin. "I don't believe your whimpers. I think you're afraid of death."

The demon smoke whirled around the woman's small frame. Ami squeezed her eyes close. Its touch was like sandpaper rubbing against her. Her skin was burning wherever the creature touched her. The black vapors were kissing her exposed arms and cheeks. It was clinging to her body, becoming a second shell of flesh. The blackness seeped into her ears and dove down into her throat. Ami wanted to scream, but her vocal cords were in a vice. She threw out her palm, trying to fight against it. The vapor broke apart and wrapped around her arm.

* * *

_-flashback-_

_The blade slid into her stomach as easy as a body walking through air. There was hesitant second between realization and the surge of pain. She hung on the thread of its being, clinging to the hope of the last moments being a dream. She thought of her life in the last few days and remembered all she had wished for in that span. Her eyes closed and the blood flowed. Pain racked throughout her abdomen and she knew she was plunging down into the valley. Death was never frightening until it cornered its victim. And, she was terrified. _

* * *

Ami shook her head. The emotions from her past life were surging through her. She was having trouble thinking straight. She kept thinking of those last breaths she had taken. They were filled with anxiety and horror, followed by disbelief.

_"Fear is only natural, my little one."_

Ami braced against the wave of emotions. Her body was shook under the strain. "I am not yours."

The smoke swept down into the pit of her stomach. She arched backwards as the vapors burned through her organs and raced through her blood. She blinked and her nerves were swallowed.

"You were always mine, little one."

* * *

"You are to stay in the car! Do you understand, Hotaru?" Amara growled coldly as she leaned over the back of the seat at the child sitting in her cousin's lap.

Hotaru nodded frantically, "Yes, Aunt Amara."

Amara pointed a tight finger in the child's face. She glared, ignoring how the rest of the girls were watching the loud exchange. "I'm serious. This is beyond a one month punishment. This is punishment for life if you disobey us again."

"I understand, Aunt Amara," Hotaru whispered, curling deeper into her guardian's lap. With a furious look, Amara turned back around and wallowed. Lita could tell from her view in the front seat that Hotaru was whispering apologies to her other aunt. Hotaru had told them that she had come, hoping to help. She kept saying that she thought her gift could help. There was no doubt the child's gift would be effective in their attack, but it was her lack of control that bothered the girls. They had never seen her gift in action and the idea of charging in with it did not sit well.

Lita faced the front windshield and watched the Mercury lead the way through the maze of streets within the city. She glanced towards Luna. The dark haired woman was clenching the steering wheel tight. "We got ten minutes, ladies. We're parking the cars in the nearest lot and then, we're storming—"

Suddenly, the car in front of the Ford Escape slammed their brakes. Luna shouted to everyone to brace themselves as she simultaneously hit the brakes. The car swerved, tossing about the girls in their seats. Lita's palms hit the dash. The tires squealed and Michelle swore she saw smoke coming from the Mercury's tires from braking so hard. The car finally lolled to a halt and the occupants heaved relieved sighs.

Luna spun in her seat. "Everyone okay?"

There was a round of nods. Lita tried squinting pass the smoke clouding the front windshield. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Luna replied, scanning as well. "I don't think I saw a car cutting Artemis off."

Amara knelt between the two front seats. "Is that a person standing in front of the Mercury?"

"Someone's in the road?" Michelle exclaimed. "Oh my gosh. We almost ran over someone?"

"No," Amara replied stonily. "It looks like their blocking the road. They're facing the car and they don't appear to be moving out of the way."

The smoke cleared and Lita gasped, "It's Ami!"

* * *

**_A/N: Hmm. Interesting? Surprising? Yea, I know its a little jumpy with its parts and horribly short in comparison to the last round of chapters. At least, that's what I think, but sadly, I need to get this story moving forward and I wasn't able to shove anything more in without boring you (or me). Next chapter ("When The World Stood Still") shall be the giant one I've waited FOREVER to write. Hopefully, that one shall make up for this sad excuse of an update. Maybe I'm ragging on myself too much. Whatever. I just feel like this plot has so much potential and I'm selling it short. What do you think?_**


	29. When the World Stood Still

_**A/N: Sorry, it took so long. I went out of town for over a week and got real busy at work. Anyways, here's the chapter I've been dying to write. Enjoy & always review!**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 29: When the World Stood Still_

* * *

Serena pushed her door open and raced around to the front of the vehicle. She could hear more car doors opening and feet hitting the asphalt. They were astounded by the miracle standing in the center of the road. Their dear friend, who was believed to be near death, was alive. She was wearing bloody clothes and her hair was dirty, but she was alive after hours of worry! Serena's heart was pounding harder than ever. For half a minute, she had thought her friend was dead. To see her alive… Serena's feet quickened.

Ami was her oldest, most loyal friend. She had been the first to know her secret gift and had been the first of her circle. In a way, Ami was the introduction to the story, or the beginning piece, as it were, to the big picture. Well, Serena wasn't sure if there was a big picture. Ami had said there was more to their gifts then simple coincidence. Their gifts were a little beyond normal, but Serena didn't think there was anything to it. Whatever. Anyways, to have Ami back was like getting back a part of herself. Serena couldn't keep herself by the car. She bolted. "Ami!"

Rei fanned away a cloud of smoke. The lone figure standing motionless in the busy street was a spectacle. It wasn't every day a person stepped right out into traffic. The pedestrians on the sidewalks slowed to see what the fuss was about. Even some of the employees in the nearby buildings peeked out. Luna anxiously glanced at the growing audience. Rei focused on her friend's obscured figure. She blinked and noticed the haze wasn't lifting from the intern. The priestess stiffened when she realized it wasn't smoke covering the girl. _'There's something wrong. There's some sort of dark cloud shrouding her aura.'_

Lita and Mina rushed passed her, unaware of the priestess's discomfort. Rei wanted to run to her. She missed Ami as much as the others. Yet, the way Ami stood so quietly in the road was odd. She hadn't moved since the cars had squealed to a stop a few feet from hitting her. Ami was facing her, but the haze made it difficult for Rei to read the intern's expression. What troubled the priestess more were the most obvious questions. Why wasn't Ami in the base? Why was she standing here of all places? Why had she stepped out into traffic? Luna stopped beside the priestess, studying the unmoved girl. "Rei, is something wrong? What does your ESP tell you?"

Rei didn't know how to answer. The whole situation felt wrong. The time, the place, Ami, all of it. The girl stomach twisted when she saw the darkness surrounding her friend thickened. She couldn't be sure what the change meant, but it certainly wasn't a welcoming present. Rei shouted a frantic warning, "Serena, wait!"

Sadly, Serena had already come into arm's reach of the petite nurse. The blonde woman's warm smile dropped marginally when she saw the solemn expression on her friend's face. Dull eyes behind dirty blue hair looked up as if she really didn't know who it was approaching her. Serena shrugged off the expression. It was only natural that the girl was still in shock after clawing her way through that filthy NVerse base. She had probably gone through the worst of all missions.

Suddenly, Serena realized why Ami was standing in the middle of the road. Ami had won against the NVerse. Barely, but Ami had won. Then, she had somehow crawl out of the wreckage. She must have recognized the cars driving down the road and realized they had come for her. She had stepped out to catch their attention. That had to be it.

"I'm so happy to see you're alright, Ames!" Serena gushed, throwing out her arms for a hug. She went to lean in and the most shocking thing happened. Ami's eyes sparked and her palm came up to shove against the other woman's chest. It was a very abrupt shift from her docile behavior. Serena stopped short. "Am—"

The smaller woman's lips barely moved and then, a powerful force slammed into Serena's chest beneath the other woman's palm. The wind squeezed out of Serena's lungs from the force. Her ratty pink sneakers lifted right off the asphalt as the force threw her backwards. Serena's mouth was parted in a soundless gasp. As she flew back, her failing arms crashed into Lita and Mina. In a wild tumble, the two girls were thrown against the Mercury's front bummer while Serena hit the hood. Her left elbow rammed up into the windshield and shattered the glass. The group that had swamped around the cars abruptly froze, staring in awe at the girls powdered with snowflakes and groaning in pain.

Amara was the first to move. She bolted from her door and ran over to Mina's side. Trista followed while Michelle pushed Hotaru to the back of the car. This wasn't good. Rei took a tentative step. She watched the girl, she believed to be Ami, stare down at the women. Rei shook her head when she saw doll-like eyes rove over the fallen three.

"That's not Ami," the priestess whispered. There was a catch of fear. "I mean its Ami. I see her aura. It's definitely Ami. But, something happened to her. Ami would never do—"

Ami wheeled and her dark eyes switched to the priestess and the cat woman beside her. Rei's voice stopped short, startled by how cold Ami glared at her. She had never seen that expression on Ami's soft face. The blue-haired woman broke out into a run at them, ignoring the others as she rushed pass. She pushed Amara aside and jumped over Mina's prostrated form. Surprised, Rei stumbled back. Her hands flew up, ready to stop her, but hesitant. "Ami!"

The petite girl didn't slow at her name. She continued at top speed. Her eyes were set on the priestess. Seeing no response from the girl, Luna hastily jumped in front of Rei. Her powers rippled through the air and rammed straight into the intern. Ami grunted when it hit and scrambled backwards. She wasn't pushed far. Swinging up her face, she glared at the purple haired woman. Luna's heart leapt when she saw a long icicle swell from Ami's hand. It had sprung so fast, too fast. The ragged blade grew as long as a short sword before her fingers grip the hilt. Luna threw Rei back when Ami swung the self-made sword.

* * *

**-On a nearby rooftop-**

The people, including the numerous city goers who spilled out into the street, appeared to be unaware of the darkening sky. It was not unnatural to see black clouds roll in and cover the valley in short minutes. The wind currents were strong that passed between the peaks. The mountains pressed currents tight pushing the clouds into submission faster than in open skies. Thus, a quickly darkening sky was not uncommon in the mountain city. What was odd about that day in comparison to all others was that (1) the weatherman's prophecy of clear blue reign for the next two days and (2) there had been no clouds to push into the valley. Course, when was a weatherman's word infallible.

The black clouds swelled like ink blots on a piece paper. They washed across the blue canvas. An inch of blackness quickly became a mile. When it appeared the clouds would grow thin where they stretched, the darkness thickened. The blackness did not fade to a shaky gray. It remained full and unyielding to the eyes.

He saw how the darkness spilled from an unseen womb. Zoisite knew those clouds were not born from nature. Clouds were formed from perspiration in the air, but not in mere minutes. Not clouds of that magnitude. That meant it was Metia's handiwork. Zoisite didn't know how the creature did it, but from all that he had seen in the last two years, it couldn't be far from the truth to say the creature had formed a little storm. Even Lita was able to pull a little thunderstorm out of the air with a bit of concentration. The storm overhead didn't appear to be any threat. The clouds were big and the thunder sounded strong, but it did little more than stir fear. It was all show.

Zoisite considered the storm to be Metaria's way of transferring out of the base's walls. He had never seen her move pass the one throne room and he could only wonder how Metaria moved about in the universe. Surely, she had not lived in that base for the last thousand years.

Looking back down at the streets, he watched Ami walked down the sidewalk. Her back was to his roof, but even from his far off view she looked calm and collect. Her back was straight and her strides strong. She was still wearing the jeans and gray tank top that were stained in blood, but she didn't act sore from the healed injuries. People she passed gave her sideway glances. No one, however, stopped. They moved on, deciding it was better to ignore the obvious signs and go about their own business. Oh, the cold indifference of the city folk.

Zoisite's shoulder heaved with a sigh. Shifting on his knees, he looked up at the man standing over his left shoulder. Jedite was also watching the petite woman travel through the streets. That hadn't told Zoisite exactly what was happening when they had dragged him out of the base and onto a five-floor building's roof. It was definite, nonetheless, that something important was about to happen. All three generals were wearing their padded security uniforms and standing at triangular points around him. Each of them had two semi-automatics strapped to their waist. They had tied his wrists behind his back with metal wire and shoved him to the edge of the concrete rooftop without a word. Beryl had changed into more comfortable wear. She had slipped into dark jeans, boots, tight black t-shirt, and gray fur coat. Her vibrant red hair was pulled back into a ponytail instead of its usual free fall. The Captain, he had heard was called Greg, was also there, waiting on the red head's every whim. He, too, was in his security uniform. The lump of people was a military band awaiting a battle.

With unfaltering attention, all eyes on the rooftop were watching the blue crown slipping through the below crowd. Zoisite wanted to call to her. He wanted to ask what was happening. Though there appeared to be no one following her, Zoisite knew she hadn't been set free. But, why was she freely walking down the street? And why were they all sitting on a rooftop watching her? Why was Metaria coming out into open view of the public (no matter if she was in the form of storm clouds)?

Zoisite mustered the nerve to ask the standing question to his captors, "What's going on?"

Beryl remained fixed on the girl down on the street. She would not speak to her toy. It was lot more interesting to keep him in the dark. Malachite glared at him through the corner of his eye, "Shut up and you'll see."

Zoisite wanted to push the issue. Unfortunately, he knew he wouldn't get any answer until something happened. His green eyes found his girl, again. He prayed that whatever happened it didn't go against her. _'Careful, Ames.'_

For a few minutes, nothing changed. Ami walked through the parting crowd and his captors remained silent. He soon, however, saw her hesitate on the walkway. Her blue head shifted and her feet froze. Zoisite followed her line of sight, but it was hard to decide what she was looking at in the crowded area. Abruptly, she changed directions. Zoisite stiffened when he saw her step out into traffic. He was shocked to see her plant her feet and face the oncoming car as if she was a roadblock. Immediately, he saw two familiar vehicles driving towards her position.

"No," he breathed. This couldn't be good.

The cars screeched to a halt and he watched his two dearest friends plus the entire Senshi file out of doors. He saw his partner, Artemis, linger at the driver's door on the first vehicle. Serena, on the hand, streaked passed him, running straight towards the motionless intern. As the distance separating the two girls shortened, Zoisite could feel his gut drop. _'Ami…'_

Ami's hand went up and Serena was thrown back. Zoisite gasped and tugged on his restraints. What was happening? Ami began running and Luna confronted her. When he saw something long and white swung, he became hysterical. He angrily swung around to the woman in charge. "What did you do?!"

Her red lips twisted. "Do you feel disbelief, Zoisite? Are you upset to see the woman you love killing the people you care about?"

"Ami would never hurt her friends," he roared. The generals hastily grabbed his arms and shoulders as he began to fight his binds. "What did you do to her?"

Cold, emerald eyes shifted to him. She was sneering at him from her safe spot alongside the edge. Greg positioned himself in between the pair. It was unlikely the man would break his binds plus escape the Generals, but he didn't dare take chances on this special day. Beryl returned to watching the show down on the street, satisfied that she wouldn't be disrupted.

"She was shown the truth," Her voice was thick with double meanings.

With his tangled hair falling in his eyes, Zoisite gritted his teeth, "What truth?"

The thunder clapped overhead. The woman was giddy when she saw the Senshi being pushed back. "She was shown that even someone as pure as her had shadows in her heart."

The storm began to roar and pull at their clothes. Zoisite squinted against the slicing wind.

* * *

Luna barely dodged the swipe. The blade ripped across her coat sleeve, tearing through the heavy lining. The woman crashed to ground. She was completely exposed to the girl's wrath, but the intern swiveled away and returned her attention to her roommate. Ami plunged the sword forward at the evading priestess and made contact with the right door window. The glass and ice blade broke into a million pieces. The shards sprayed into the car, covering the dash and front seats. Rei frantically ran backwards. "Ami! What are you doing?"

Ami began to advance again on the woman. She coldly studied her old time friend. "What's wrong, Rei? Too much for you?"

Rei was startled by the dark strength behind her friend's words. The tone was too hostile. She scrambled between the two cars' bumpers, trying to put something between her and her crazed looking roommate. She bumped against the headlight before rushing behind the hood. "What are you saying?"

Pressing one foot onto the bummer, Ami jumped onto the car hood. The gray metal dented loudly under her weight. Luna was hollering as she raced after the petite fighter. Two more steps and she lunged. Rei ducked and got out of range of her punch. Ami landed and rolled down to her knees. Hard eyes snapped up. "You always thought I was the weak link when it came to fighting. What do you think now?"

She was up again, running straight at the girl. Rei was doing her best to keep distance between both of them. She couldn't bring her hand against her friend. Sure they had sparred numerous times and earned their share of scraps, but this was a whole different reality. These punches and swings were meant to do more than bruise. And unfortunately for Rei, Ami seemed a little faster than she remembered.

"Ami, stop!" the priestess pleaded. "What are you doing?"

The blue fighter was able to get in reach. She swung a hard uppercut and narrowly hit the edge of the woman's chin. Rei cried out and fell onto the cold asphalt. Her skin scrapped along the rough ground.

"I'm getting even," Ami said with all seriousness. Rei couldn't believe her ears. She swung up her face and saw her close friend towering over her with hands up in one giant fist. Ami held her arms up over her head, preparing to slam her fist down on the girl. When she swung down, a pair of strong hands came up and grabbed her below the elbows, stopping the harsh blow. Ami found the face connected to the hands. She glowered pointedly at the ice blue eyes that stared back at her.

"Hey, Amara."

The racer glared back.

"Another mess of mine you're going to clean up, Amara?" the girl stated evenly. Ami wrenched her arms free and swung a punch. The older woman slapped the fist aside, frustrating the girl. Ami tried again, but got the same result. Next, she threw a blast of snow at the woman and was able to knock her back a few feet. Ami turned away from the fallen priestess and stalked towards her new opponent. She flexed her hands as she approached. Amara didn't appear the least bit intimidated by the shorter, younger girl. She shook her arms, relaxing the tense muscles. She was at ease. Ami's grin had dropped into a tight line. "Are you surprised that I changed sides? Or was this exactly what you suspected? Didn't you always say I was the wrong girl for the job?"

Amara's eyes narrowed. "I don't remember saying that?"

Ami shrugged, "My mistake. You must have said that in your past life. But, that doesn't matter. I know you still think it."

She charged. Amara was forced backwards as Ami kicked at her side. Amara hastily unleashed one side of her gift before Ami could regain her feet. Gushing wind flew straight into the intern's chest. Ami flipped backwards and made an unsteady landing onto the back of her heels. She stumbled back a few steps.

"Ami!"

The girl glanced over her shoulder and saw Lita and Michelle standing behind her. Passed their tense forms, Ami saw Mina helping a bruised Serena off the hood of the Mercury vehicle. The Moon Princess was ignoring the girl's help as she stared with a shocked expression at the intern. Ami checked both her sides and saw the cat couple taking up positions on her right and left. Her blue eyes narrowed. She was missing one _'Where's Tri—'_

"Ami!" she heard overhead.

The intern reared up and saw the dark skinned woman dropping out of the sky. Ami was surprised how she came out of nowhere, but she knew Trista's gift was playing its part. With her gift's ability to temporarily flux the flow of time, Trista could appear out of any spot. As Trista tried to kick her in the face, Ami released a slew of ice arrows on reflex at the woman. She blinked and Trista disappeared from sight. She had disappeared in a mere moment. Ami heard a heavy thud beside her. Turning, she saw Trista clutched a bloody forearm. Two of the arrows had scrapped along her arm. If she hadn't been so close to the girl when the arrows had been released, Trista could have been able to slow the world down in time to escape the path of the deadly ice. She had been short by two seconds.

Ami hastily faced the woman. All her muscles were taunt as she watched Trista look in her direction. The exotic fighter's dark green hair spilled across her face in a mess. Her purple eyes studied the intern pass the emerald strands.

"Come on, Tris," Ami growled, feeling empowered. "You're the one who's got the best chance at beating me. You better hurry before you have to recharge and I take another stab at you."

Trista pushed off the ground and her body blurred in mid-rise. Ami twirled on her heel, her eyes darting everywhere. She had to be careful. She had been truthful when she said Trista had the best chance at beating her. Trista's ability was hard to defend against since her gift was time manipulation, a very radical ability. Slowing down and speeding up time was an extreme advantage. By slowing down a few seconds, Trista could appear to be faster than lightning and could put in several punches before her opponent could register the first hit. She was a true trump card in scraps. The only problem with her gift was that she was limited in fighting. She could only fight hand-to-hand. She didn't have fire or ice to throw. She had to rely on how well she fought with mortal abilities. She trained constantly, but she had nothing to play against their supernatural weapons. Another one of her limitations was that she was incapable of rewinding and freezing time. If Trista could stretch that far, she would be invincible.

Ami spun again when she saw a dark blur on her left. She caught a wisp of green and knew Trista was about to make a move. Ami had to beat on tiring Trista out. Bending time consumed a lot of her energy, thus, Trista would have to soon jump out of her time flux and make a move. She could keep fighting for hours if she bent time in short spurts, but if she held onto her time flux for several minutes, she drained herself very rapidly. Ami needed to hold out for a few minutes. "Come on. Come on."

Favoring her left side, Rei came up alongside Luna. The cat grabbed her arm, checking for injuries. "Rei, are you alright?"

Never looking away from the blue-haired intern, the priestess nodded. She gently pushed aside the woman's hands. "I'm fine. We need to worry about Ami."

Luna's scarlet eyes shifted. "I know, but at the moment, she doesn't seemed to be at the disadvantage."

"For real!" Rei grimaced. "She's normally not that fast."

"She looks like she's on her toes." Luna agreed. Ami was definitely playing strong. She hadn't appeared to be struggling against Rei. "But why? Why is she doing this?"

"I'm not sure," Rei narrowed her eyes. "But that's not Ami we're dealing with."

Luna snapped around. "What do you mean not Ami? That's Ami."

Rei shook her head, "No. I mean it's her face, but there's something wrong with her. There's something dark about her aura. I can see a blackness surrounding her."

"A blackness?"

"Yea. Like heavy smoke," she muttered. The blackness was swirling around her friend. It was consuming her entire aura. "I can barely distinguish between her and the blackness."

"Can you tell if that is really Ami though? Can you tell by her aura?"

Rei scowled, "It's too clouded. Plus, it keeps getting darker. Besides, that has to be Ami. She doesn't have a twin."

"Okay, than lets think about this," Luna sighed. She watched the woman in question scanning around. "Why would Ami be here? Why would _our_ Ami be doing this?"

Rei shuddered. "I'm not sure."

Her friend looked so different. The way blood stained her clothes and her face was twisted made her look feral. Ami was always such a shy person. She had very little confidence and was always blaming herself. Here she was being vicious, yelling out angry words that Rei didn't believe would ever fall from the girl's lips. This Ami was not the Ami she had lived with for the last two years. Ami would not smirk at the sight of pain or have the confidence to face off with Amara. Yet, her words didn't seem to stray far from some secret truth. Only their Ami would know that Amara blamed the intern for previous missions screw-ups or that Rei had once mentioned Ami being the weak fighter of the group. Those were little things that had made only small marks on the priestess's memories. How could anyone, but Ami remember those moments with such vigorous fury?

To add on top of it, Rei was unable to read the woman's emotions. Normally, she could get a sense of aggression, adrenaline, or desperation, but all she got from Ami was a blank hum. Rei was staring at a house all locked up with curtains drawn closed. There was obviously something inside, but she had no way of knowing what. It bothered the priestess. She had never come into contact with such a sensation. Sure, she saw hostility within the girl's aura (the blackness was evidence enough), but there was no passion. She was looking at a fire with no heat. But why? For what reason could this be happening?

_'Ami, what's going on with you?'_

Mina couldn't remain quiet any longer, "Ami! Why are you doing this?"

"Shut up, Mina!" Ami snapped. She caught another glimpse of green and whirled. Loosing sight of her target, she growled. "You always had a big mouth."

Mina inhaled sharply, "What?"

"Ami!" Serena shrilled.

Suddenly, Ami felt a hard punch hit her stomach. Groaning, she hunched over with her arms wrapped around her stomach. She cautiously looked up through her eyelashes and spotted Trista's orange shirt. Ami lurched forward. As expected, she saw her target blur out of view. Stumbling forward, she straightened. Ami reached out for the woman's spiritual connection. There was a slim chance she could track the woman. She would have to be quick to follow the trail, but she might be able to anticipate—

Another punch hit her, this time in the right kidney. Ami swore loudly and clutched her back. She swallowed a deep gulp of air. That had been a bad one. Ami frantically focused on the spiritual connection, again. She had to hurry.

Unexpectedly, her feet were knocked from under her. She fell hard on her shoulder. Hissing, she clutched onto the spiritual connection. She crawled across the asphalt, following the spiritual thread. Her chances were dwindling.

Ami caught a wisp of green and saw a fist rapidly approaching her face. She rolled forward, ducked beneath the fist, and rammed her own fist into the woman's unguarded side. Trista inhaled sharply. Ami heard the others gasp in surprise. No one had ever been able to stop Trista's punch. It was an impossible feat. They had always been forced to take a hit to make a hit. Clutching the spot Ami had hit, Trista hurried out of reach and blurred back out of time.

Ami grinned. She had her. Ami pushed away the thrilling rush she got from the successful blow. She couldn't let herself get haughty. Getting arrogant would make her sloppy and lose her next chance. Ami zeroed in on the spiritual connection and raced down the trail. She sensed Trista coming up behind her. Ami excitedly flared her powers. Rei gasped when she saw the blackness in her friend's aura swell and grow dark enough for the naked eye to see. The vapors wrapped around the girl's hand and extended into a clawed glove over her arm. The gas swirled and twined. The encasing was warm. Ami counted carefully for the perfect moment. She probably had only one or two shots with Trista to make this work.

She waited. The spiritual ribbon fluttered in her grip and Ami felt the connection tug to her left. She spun on her heel and stabbed.

Everyone stared mutely as Ami gloved hand sank effortlessly into Trista's chest. The green haired woman was stock-still, unable to move her limbs. Her arms outstretched as if reaching for the young nurse. The white of her eyes was overpowering the color. Her mouth was hanging open, unable to stir any vowels of speech. There wasn't any blood. Actually, Ami's hand wasn't piercing or touching any surface of skin. There was a flickering white light between the two connecting flesh. It was a floating window rimmed with golden wisps, hovering an inch over Trista's heart. Ami's hand reached forward, but didn't dip into the light. Instead, the black claw of smoke stretched from her fingers and disappeared inside. Trista's expression wavered. It was obvious that she could feel the hand digging into her body. It felt like something was carving its way into the depths of her soul. Her purple eyes hesitantly looked up and saw Ami smiling.

"Impossible!" Serena breathed, clutching Mina's arm.

Lita's heart was pounding as she watched the frightening image. "That's not natural…"

Abruptly, Trista felt something inside her rip and she coughed. Ami yanked back her arm and held up her smoking claw. Within its black fingers, something bright twinkled. Trista crumbled to the ground, coughing until her throat went ragged.

"Well, there went your chance," Ami sang. Before anyone could get a better look at the twinkling object, the intern brought her black hand to her heart. A new window of light opened like a fluttering wing over the girl's heart and the black hand shoved the object inside. The twinkle vanished along with the white window. Ami's eyes closed and she let out a slow sigh as if the short process had given her a fill of ambrosia. Her eyelids drug open and exposed dilated pupils. She licked her dry lips and muttered, "Delicious."

"No way…" Mina mumbled.

The line was crossed. All the girls stared in shock at their blood-crusted roommate as she towered over the fallen time shifter. They weren't completely certain what had happened, but they knew Ami had crossed a very dangerous line. They no longer could see their shy friend who hid in libraries. They saw a crazed smile and blood smeared cheeks. They were staring into a mask.

She could see that the attitude of her audience had changed. It made her smile widened. Calmly, she walked up to the crouched woman. Ami was amused with how closely the group watched her. They didn't know what to expect. They wanted to go to her, but were too afraid of the evident consequences. Ami leaned over and reached for Trista's jacket. The older woman tried to push back her hand, but Ami quickly stamped her foot against the woman's chest, knocking her onto her back. Flicking open her jacket, Ami grabbed her gun. She whirled.

"Let's make sure everything is clear," Ami yelled. She raised the gun and caused their hearts to skip. The muzzle lifted towards the sky and she fired two shots. Immediately, screams followed the crack of bullets. The girls suddenly remembered they were in the middle of the city with full view of the public. They spun around to see the crowd scattering. Mina cringed, "Aw, s—!"

Everyone was running. Faces were pale with fear and voices were pleading for help. They heard something yelling a nine-one-one call. They knew it was only a matter of time before the cops or the media arrived. They had gone four years without gaining any media attention and now, they were about to become the top story on the evening news.

"We need to get out of here," Rei shouted.

But they couldn't leave. It was too late and too complicated. They knew it, too.

Amara stepped closer to her cousin. "We have to knock her out. If we're quick, we can get out of here before the news room drops by."

Michelle pushed Hotaru back towards the vehicle. "Go hide inside the car, Hotaru. We'll handle this."

The small child wasn't happy to be pushed aside. "But—"

"Now," Amara snapped. "This isn't the time."

Michelle stood to her full height as she observed her blue-haired friend waving the gun. Her expression had hardened from its usually softness. She was always such a gentle woman with very soft lines in her face, but today the edge was in place. She was worried. "Come on, Amara. We need to tag team. She was able to take out Tris."

Hotaru hurried behind the car door and peeked over the edge of metal. She was focused on her aunt that was lying on the ground in pain. Amara and Michelle bolted and Hotaru realized her new family was in the center of danger. She whimpered.

Amara broke away from her cousin and sprinted ahead. Ami heard their feet and spun around to face her attackers. Just as she turned, the racer threw herself upwards. Amara flipped gracefully over the woman's short stature. Her long legs spun upwards in a beautiful feat. Ami followed her rise overhead. _'The Senshi of the Winds and Earth plus the Senshi of the Seas. The Gatekeepers.'_

Michelle slid to a stop the moment Amara dropped to the ground. Ami's eyes darted between the two. There were still people running around, screaming loudly, but the sound of hydrants blowing their tops overpowered them. Nuts and bolts shot through the air like bullets while manhole lids flipped open and hydrants sprung geysers. Powerful white streams shot up eighty yards high. Building dwellers, whose faces were pressed against fourth floor windows, flinched as water splashed against the glass panes.

Amara hurried to follow her cousin's attack and rolled a tremor through the ground. Ami rolled her eyes when the water soaked her clothes and hair. She was standing in a drizzle. This wasn't going to dent her composure. Balancing against the earthquake, the woman prepared for the coming assault. She saw Michelle behind the sheet of spray. She was carefully observing her. Ami threw the wet bangs from her eyes and chuckled, "Come on. Do it!"

Michelle's arms stretched out. As her hands spread out, the three geysers crashed their heads together and intertwined into a singular mass hanging in mid air. Ami watched the twisting ribbons of water droplets spiral. In seconds, the water rapids descended into a column and came drilling down on her head. As she squared her shoulders, Amara stomped her foot and a widening crack raced through the asphalt towards her.

Ami didn't appear the least bit afraid. Glancing through the corner of her eye, she measured the distance between her and the split in the road. She returned focus into the white foaming vortex. The mist dribbled down the full length of her neck. Her hands remained at her side, dripping water from the fingertips. This was her element. She would not be done in by her element.

The white column was within meters of crashing into her head when the water flash froze into harmless snow flurries. The white flakes drifted down pass her face, giving her an ethereal appearance with her dirty, bloody appearance. The white powdered her wet scalp and ice formed through her tangled mane and bare shoulders. She wasn't fazed by the cold enveloping her. The ice was part of her. She could walk through freezing rain without much of a flinch.

The earthquake, however, had no relation to her. The ground split between her shoes, destroying the romantic scene of a woman relishing the winter. Ami jumped off to the side. Catching her feet, she began running at Amara. Seeing the intern shift, the racer switched between her two gifts. Amara was the only one who possessed more than one element. No one understood how she managed two gifts. Both elements were strong and dangerous. One gift for some of them was difficult enough. Yet, Amara could seamlessly shift between the pair of elements. She had also successfully combined the two gifts on a handful of days.

The wind currents abruptly wrapped together. Amara was posed as she closed her eyes and let the wind rip pass her. Even with her eyes shut, she could see the currents charging through the span of buildings. They plunged at the intern. Ami had no defense against such an attack. She couldn't manipulate this element like she had with Michelle and thus, was forced to dive out of its path.

Ducking pass the attack, she pushed on towards her target.

"Now, Michelle!" the racer signaled.

Ami was already leaping over an especially wide crack in the street when Amara's voice carried to her ears. Ami and Michelle knew instantly what her cousin wanted. The violinist forced the sewer water to break through the piping beneath her feet. The dirty water flooded the inner crevices of earth below and bubbled up to the surface. In one sweep, the water shot up through the crack Ami was leaping over and hit her. Ami swore loudly as she was carried up into the air.

While the three women were busy, Luna raced over to Trista's side. She pulled her to her back and began searching for injuries. "Trista, you okay?"

The Senshi of Time groaned loudly and rubbed her chest. "It feels like she ripped my heart out."

Luna reached over and delicately grazed her fingers over the spot. Nothing felt abnormal to her touch. She pulled back her hand. What had been that window of light? What had she seen? She turned. Ami was pulling her soaked body from the ground, eyes looking up to the violinist who was rushing up to her. Luna wasn't paying attention to the fight. She was studying the woman's profile. She was wondering what had happened to her.

"There's no way she should have been able to do that," Luna whispered. "I mean…how could she…"

Trista leaned in. "Luna, I'm not sure if that's Ami we're dealing with."

The cat woman tugged the woman into her lap. "No, Rei said it was Ami. She could sense her aura."

Trista rolled to her knees and pulled away from Luna. As she shifted, her chest stretched and sent a burning sensation up her lungs. She took a deep calming breath. Ever breath stretched the hollowness throughout her chest. When she inhaled, she felt her toes curl around her esophagus. "I don't remember Ami being able to do that."

"Do you even know what she did?"

Trista coughed again. "I don't know. All I saw was white light and felt claws scrapping through my chest."

Michelle fell onto her side and Ami immediately straddled her chest. Amara was stampeding for her cousin, but already black vapors were wrapping around Ami's hand. Michelle fought to push her off. Ami thrust her gloved claw directly into the woman's chest, tearing open another window of light. Michelle began screaming and tugged feebly at the wrist digging into her chest.

"Get off of her!" Amara hollered, grabbing the intern's shoulders and throwing her off her cousin. The light disappeared once Ami was ripped away. She rolled across the floor for several feet before slowing to a stop. Amara ignored her and was busy checking her cousin's wellbeing. Michelle had lapsed into a dazed state and lied limp on the street. Amara planted her knees beside her and began lightly slapping her cheeks. "Michelle? Michelle?"

The violinist groaned, but her eyes stayed close.

"Come on!" Amara began to shout. Fear was beginning to filter down into her tone. "Wake up, Miche—Ahh!"

Amara's cry roared into a pain filled screech. Ami had come up behind her and drove her claw into the racer's back. Her fingers were stretched tight as though she was reaching to clutch hold of a brace. The skin was pure white and her were screwed shut.

Up until this point, none of the other girls had dared to enter the fight. Michelle and Amara were stronger fighters than any of them. Plus, the two older women had an easier time controlling their feelings for Ami. They were good friends to the nurse, but their relationship wasn't intertwined as tight as her roommates. There was less restraint in their punches. These were all excuses to keep them from being responsible for hurting one of their own. Unfortunately, when Ami struck Amara from behind the girls knew they could no longer keep at the sidelines. The racer's scream might as well have been a gun shooting off. Each girl broke from their frozen position and ran forward.

Lita was first to grab her. Her hands clutched her free arm. Next, Mina arrived and grabbed her other arm. As they began to pull her off of Amara, Rei appeared and wrapped the intern in a headlock. The three of them were able to drag her away from the racer just as Serena arrived and caught the limbs-full-of-jelly-racer. As Ami was yanked backwards, the light in her hand stabbed into her captors' eyes. Mina lost her hold for a moment, giving the intern ample time to shove the glittering object in her hand into the safe confines of her chest. Once her fingers receded from her shirt, Ami began violently fighting the girls. She knocked Mina back first and then, stomp Lita's unguarded foot. With a sharp elbow to the abs and a twist of her wrist, Ami swung Rei over her hip and onto the road.

Ami swung about and heard a sound she hadn't expected. Her blue eyes lifted. It was hard to spot against the black sky, but she could vaguely make out the bug-like helicopter crawling in their direction. The slightest of smirks lifted at the corner of her face. Whether if it was a police or media chopper it didn't matter. The public was closing in, and soon a dark exposure would paint the screen of every television in the city. Soon the cities across the coast would see their dark secrets.

* * *

**-Local Radio Station KLAP 97.7 FM-**

"_—we have still yet to identify the passengers of the two vehicles, but the shooter has been possibly named as a nurse intern who disappeared three months earlier from lower down the coast. A photo of the woman shooter has been sent to confirm suspicions. A response is pending."  
_

* * *

**-East Coast News (ECN)-**

_The screen shifted to a blurry image of water twisting up through the air. Then, the image changed to white light between two struggling women. "The scene is still a disarray of confusion. All that can be surmised at the moment is that the group is trying to restrain the woman with dark blue hair."_

* * *

**-Jackson Local News-**

_"We have seen things that can not be explained by any logically explanation. We have seen hydrants spout huge columns that twisted in midair. Water has changed to snow in a mere blink, an impossible feat. Then, small tremors have racked the intersection and split the road in a town that has never experienced the tiniest of earthquakes. And now a lightening is literally jumping out of a woman's palm—"_

* * *

**-Jackson Police Department-**

_"Is it an attack?"_

_"Unsure, sir. They seem to be fighting amongst themselves."_

_"Who are they?"_

_"Um…I'm not sure. They…well…"_

_"What is it, lieutenant?"_

_"Sir, they…"_

_"What?!"_

_"There's a woman throwing fireballs."_

_"…Does she have a flamethrower?"_

_"No, sir. It's coming out of her empty hand."_

_A heavy sigh. "Are you drunk on the job again, Mike?"_

_"No, sir, I'm serious!"_

_"Mike—"_

* * *

Greg raced forward and pulled the door open for Beryl. The red head tossed back her hair, completely ignoring the gesture. She marched into the stairway and began the long descent down. Behind her, Zoisite continued to scream questions at her rigid back as the generals half-dragged, half-carried him after her.

"What did you do to her? Tell me!" His raw voice bellowed through the small enclosure like a foghorn. "What are you waiting for?"

Beryl didn't say a word. If Zoisite had ever known the woman, he would have realized the extreme oddity it was to have her mouth sewed shut. Normally, her mouth would flap constantly with a high pitch following each syllable. It was a blessing in disguise, but it was also a clue that she didn't want to tip off their captor, regardless that he couldn't do much while he on his constraints.

"I thought you took away her gift. She shouldn't be able to make snow!"

"She shouldn't be that fast, either."

"Is that really, Ami?"

"Is that a fake of sorts out there?"

"What are trying to do?"

She was pose, precise. Each step was perfectly measured like she was marching in an army. Maybe in a way she was.

Ten solid minutes had to be suffered before she finally reached the bottom floor. With a hard shove, she pushed the door open to a back alley. Her steps didn't slow. She pressed on in the direction of the street fight.

"Say something!" Zoisite bit loudly.

Beryl slowed. She shifted her weight for a moment and finally stopped. Slowly she turned to face him. Her green eyes showed a great deal of irritation as she glared at him. She didn't appear to be expecting to face his questions. She had probably intended to keep him in the dark up to a certain point, but her lack of patience was undoing her plan.

She squared off with him. "You want me to say something?"

Zoisite was brought to a stop. His lips were pulled tight and his face was red. The generals watched the exchange with blank expressions. When the man didn't answer, she repeated with a darker tone. "You want me to say something?"

There was no point in answering her. All she wanted to do was to bring a dramatic effect to her next coming words. She was always the drama queen. "First of all that is your girlfriend out there fighting her and your friends."

She pulled a handgun out of her waistband and slid a magazine into place. She armed the barrel and delicately kissed the muzzle with her deep red lipstick. "And everything about to go to hell. Just the way I like it."

* * *

_**A/N: Any thoughts or just blank confusion? Tell me! Tell me! Only two chapters left till the end! How do you resolve everything in only two chapters you ask?? Hehehehe**_


	30. The Rooster Crowed Thrice

_**A/N: Another chapter completed. I could barely get it all out since so much happened in it. I hope I was able to hone in on everyone's emotions properly. It was a little confusing with so many people involved. Enjoy. **_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1_

* * *

_Chapter 30: The Rooster Crowed Thrice_

* * *

The roll of thunder passing through the city's crevices was a heartbeat to the horrid day. With each clap the foundations shook. The tremors traveled up through their feet and rattled their bodies. They had to gasp for air with each heartbeat of the storm. The roar of the thunder was so loud that the wind just disappeared from their lungs. They were weak in the knees and feeling every bit vulnerable under the storm's angry gaze.

Then, the whirr of helicopters rode on the thunder. Suddenly, it was no longer Mother Nature alone bearing down on them. Cameras, a dozen lenses to be exact, circled them in a wild pack. There was nowhere to hide from their hungry eyes. If they hid behind a vehicle from the journalist on the sidewalk, the overhead chopper would swing down and zoom in for a close up. They tried to catch their second wind, but how could they regain their breath when they were scrambling to escape those relentless predators.

What finished their horrible day was the single person, who was the core of their problem, evading their hands. Their roommate was running and slipping through the fingers. They would brush along her shirt or skate their hands across her arms only to have her pass through their grasp like running water. If they could catch her, they could burrow away from their eyes and thunder, but unfortunately, she was making it impossible. She was faster than they could predict. As she evaded capture, she struck them down with punches, kicks, and ice. The Senshi of Mercury was overwhelming. She normally could barely hold out against a single roommate and now she was overtaking the entire house.

Their secret gifts were about to be reported across the coast. Their friend was rebelling against them, and it was proving to be impossible to stop her. One last gamble was that somewhere the NVerse, the group most likely responsible for their friend's sudden shift in behavior, was lurking. In short, it was the worst day imaginable.

Lita dropped behind the hood of an abandoned Chevy truck. Ami emptied a full clip from the handgun she had taken from Trista and peppered the side of the vehicle with holes. The brunette covered her head with her arms. When the shooting stopped, she gingerly peeked around the front tire. Ami glared at the empty gun and tossed it to the gutter. Scowling, Lita scrambled back to her feet and rounded the vehicle. Ami saw her roommate running towards her and immediately began throwing ice arrows at her. Unable to do much more than dodge, Lita quickly hid behind another vehicle for cover.

Pressing her back against the Eclipse, Lita listened to the sound of ice breaking through the car windows. She grimaced when a particular loud hit shattered the glass over her head. She shook her head free of shards. "Man, she pissed."

Lita rolled unto her knees and crawled down the length of the vehicle. Her green eyes roved through her limited view of the street, searching for the rest of the team. The girls had dragged the Outers out of the road and left her and Rei to act as a distraction. In the last few minutes, she had lost track of Rei. There had been a particular confusing moment when Ami had throw a whirl of snow at the two of them. She was beginning to think Rei had gotten hurt and was hiding behind her own metal shield.

"Great." Lita murmured, pressing up against the edge of the car. "Where is everyone?"

Ami turned her back to the car. She eyed the chopper circling overhead. The buzzing propellers were beginning to irritate her. She could see a long, blonde stream of hair spilling from behind an expensive video camera. A second figure was inches beside the cameraman and was leaning out of the side door with one hand on a bar and the other on a microphone headset.

Ami lifted her arm. "Dumb reporters…"

Water droplets lifted from the concrete and began to spin up around her arm. As they spun, they combined and formed clumps. Before long, a watery vortex was rotating around the full length of her arm and steadily growing thicker. The reporter hanging out of the helicopter began waving excitedly and pointing at her.

Abruptly, Lita came barreling against her. Ami was knocked sideways, but her water attack was already traveling through the air at the chopper. The pilot must have seen the attack because suddenly veered to the side. Unfortunately, the water pounded into the belly of the chopper and rammed the vehicle into the nearest building. Ami pulled up off the ground and saw orange flames exploding against the brick wall.

"Pretty," Ami grinned.

Lita's mouth dropped open as she watched the black box trailing smoke tumble to the ground. The dense metal had dented like thin aluminum foil. Golden sparks scattered across the road and a limp body spilled out of the side door. Lita was having trouble breathing as she watched the person's flesh become swallowed by the flames and her skin curl dark. She couldn't believe Ami had killed those people. Surely, this wasn't real.

By this point, innocent bystanders had deserted the street. Ami's shooting had scared most of them off and now the chopper scattered the last handful. Only a few daring reporters and news cameras lingered behind. Except, the media crews were keeping to the furthest edge of the scene. Most reporters had dealt with working in unsavory conditions. They had experienced riots and a few battles out in foreign war zones, but none had seen this alien-like fight. Two reporters were actually saying on air that the city was under alien invasion.

Real or not, there was no way to ignore the smell invading her senses. It was not something easily forgotten. If she was able, by some miracle, to ignore the sight and sound of the helicopter's destruction, Lita could not escape the odor.

Ami swung around. "Don't you like the fireworks, Lita?"

"Ames…" she breathed, still staring at the flames. Tears slid down her face. "How could you…"

Ami walked over and calmly kicked the frozen girl in the side. Lita howled and fell against the asphalt. Ami circled and then, pressed the woman onto her back. Lita grabbed her ankle. She tried to push her off, but Ami wasn't trying to pin her. She reached down and snatched the woman's gun, tucked in her waistband. Ami then stepped back and pointed the muzzle at her roommate's face. Lita froze.

"Looks like I don't need defending anymore," Ami said.

Lita could feel the thunderstorm traveling up through her body. It pounded in almost perfect synch with her racing heart. She inhaled deeply, "Ami, why?"

Ami turned the safety off the gun.

"Did the NVerse tell you to do this?" Lita pressed. Her eyes kept darting to the muzzle pointed at her. "Are you being blackmailed or bribed or whatever?"

Ami shook her head with a wry chuckle. "No. No. No. This is all me."

Her blue eyes darkened slightly and her voice thinned. "Finally, it's all about me."

"Ami—"

"Shut up!" she bit. "For once, stop trying to make excuses for me, Lita!"

Ami heard footsteps behind her. She whirled and opened fired. Rei fell forward only a few feet short of her goal. Her black tresses were trailing her shock filled face. Her rosy lips were slightly open, hissing out a high pitch squeal. Her hands failed to save her from hitting the ground. When her palms hit the pavement, her elbows gave in and her body crashed. Lita screamed her name, tears clogging her throat. "REI!"

Red began to dribble out from under her. Ami crossed over with a small sway of her hips and kicked the priestess right below the shoulder. Rei shouted a cry and remained limp with her hair covering her face like a veil. Ami brought her gun back to her other roommate. Lita's eyes were as big as golf balls and full of teary, disbelief. She was staring at Rei's prostrated form. It took her several minutes to notice the gun was in her face.

* * *

Serena was shaking. Her hands were hovering motionless over the unconscious racer. She was eager to help, but she didn't know how to reverse the coma state of the older woman. All she was able to fix was broken hearts and aching emotions. Physical damage was beyond her. Even a simple bandage had outdone her one. Thus, she knelt nearly motionless as Mina and Luna worked around her.

For the time being, Lita and Rei were distracting Ami as they tended to the women. They had managed to drag the two girls plus Trista behind the protection of parked cars. Hopefully, they would be able to tend to the women fast enough before things got any worse.

Michelle and Amara were spread out on their backs. Both were unconscious, but breathing. The cold day was already bringing a slight blue tinge to their already pale skin. Smudges covered their skin along with red scraps. Luna yanked off her heavy coat and hastily covered them. They could easily freeze to death with such a low temperature and cold spray still raining down from the broken hydrants. Trista sat beside her partners. She was awake, but breathing a little hard. Her hand constantly rubbed at her chest as she stared at her dearest friends.

"How are they?" Trista asked, peeking over Luna's shoulder.

The cat-woman shook her head. She pressed her hand against Michelle's cheek, but got no reaction from the woman. Luna leaned back with a sigh. "I don't know what she did to them. I don't understand why they are unconscious while you aren't."

Trista hung her head. Her eyes were screwed shut. "I…I'm the strongest of the three. I was, honestly, barely able to handle the… sensation. I almost fainted."

Luna looked up at the same time Trista did. Their eyes shared a silent message, some unsaid understanding, before they returned their focus to the cousins. Mina frowned at the exchange, but didn't say anything. She was personally beginning to wonder if Luna and Trista hadn't met each other before today. They seemed too familiar with each other.

Artemis gently pushed into the circle and held his hand first over Michelle. White light swelled in his palm as he began to heal the Senshi of the Seas. Luna studied her husband's profile. "Can you do anything?"

"I'll increase their energy levels, but otherwise there is nothing else to be done. The damage is trauma that cannot exactly be regenerated. I'm hoping replenishing their dried out levels will at least get them conscious." The light increased as he spoke.

"Otherwise?" Serena whispered.

Artemis shrugged. "I don't know."

Serena's eyes filled with fresh tears. She couldn't believe the day had come when Amara would have lost a fight. The woman was the strongest, most resourceful fighter amongst them. Trista claimed she, herself, was stronger, but Serena still believed otherwise. She had seen the blonde racer was tougher than knives.

Out of the blue, a round of bullets was heard firing from a gun. The small group lurched. Mina swung around the nearest vehicle to see what had happened. Peering around the front, she saw fire engulfing a twisted mass of black metal. She could see a charred body hanging out of the chopper's open side door. Ami was staring at the violent destruction with a small grin. Mina inhaled sharply, "She…"

Serena pressed against Mina's back and studied the scene. Her eyes became wide. "Did she…"

Ami swiveled around and strode towards Lita. Both Serena and Mina were frozen where they knelt. They were still trying to process the chopper and its occupants' deaths as Ami aimed her gun at their roommate. In the corner, they saw Rei abruptly leaping out from behind a vehicle and sprinting towards the intern. Mina flinched when Ami shot at Rei. In slow motion, Rei fell forward onto her stomach, her hair tossing over her face. The intern calmly turned away from the bleeding priestess and faced Lita. Mina immediately jumped off the ground and began charging at Ami's unguarded back. Serena tried to reach out and stop her, but she missed her one chance. As she watched the blonde girl escaping the safety of the vehicles, Serena felt the urge to scream at her. She wanted to say horrible names at her for doing exactly what Rei had done. Mina was going to get herself killed.

Growling, she slammed her fist against the front tire. She couldn't believe this was happening. Serena whirled towards the others. "Artemis! Rei needs you!"

* * *

_-In the Nearby Alley-_

Zoisite ears were assaulted with screams and shouts. He only caught a handful of blending words, but he gave little attention to the chaotic crowds dispersing from the street. He was too busy enthralled by the sneering red head blocking his view of the busy scene.

"I thought Ami lost her powers," he grumbled lowly to her. Violet eyes flashed with laughter. "Or is that not really Ami?"

"Oh, its your girl," Beryl laughed. "I promise you its her."

"Then what did you do?" he hissed.

"Nothing, deary," she cooed as she leaned over. "Her body just a little trouble adjusting from having her crystal shard taken out. She's better now, though. Don't you see her?"

"Yea, I see," he growled darkly. "I see her running faster. I see hitting harder and I see her hurting her friends. I'm guessing you put her shard back in."

"Good eye, deary."

He straightened. Well, he straightened as best as he could while the two generals pushed down on his shoulders. "Let's back up a second. How did you find out about Ami? How did you know she was Senshi? How did you know she was the Shield and not the Moon Princess?"

Beryl gave a light sigh and pocketed her handgun. "It's very simple."

She took a half step closer to her personal bodyguard and draped an arm around his shoulders. Greg remained expressionless as she began to run her red fingernails through his short hair. "My little man here led me straight to her. I have spent the years jumping through lifelines just like those Senshi. I knew once I ran into them, I would be drawn to them. I was meant to find them. It's my destiny."

"Destiny?"

She ignored him. "I was always suspicious of those girls. I could feel it deep within my aged spirit. Greg only confirmed my thoughts. Once little blue got involved with him, I moved in and drew out every secret she had whispered to him. She was such a fool. She whispered to him her secret believing a high school love was infallible. I barely swung a hip and everything spilled out of his wanting lips."

"You little—"

Never missing a beat she continued in her haughty tone. "I kept tabs on her. Followed her several nights a week and quickly found out her friends were no more innocent than she. My old memories told me who was the true princess. It took a while to piece back the memories, but I had the Queen Metaria to guide me."

Zoisite shook off his previous frustration to quell his growing questions. "Why not go after Serena then? Why Ami? Why take her?"

"You've already forgotten? The Crystal was shattered. The pieces are still hiding within the Senshi." She pulled away from her lover and drew up to her captor. "I couldn't still one crystal at a time. I had to draw the girls in and then rip the shards away all in one sweep. But how do you steal the shards from nine powerful beings?"

His face darkened considerably. "You use someone the girls trusted to get close. You picked the one with the least confidence, the most vulnerable."

She leaned in with a warm smile. "Exactly."

"But it was planned to a tee," he murmured. "You kidnapped her, tormented her, and then waited for her to come back to you. You wanted her to come back so she would draw in the rest of the girls. You played a gamble."

"Indeed," Beryl replied. "I wish I could take all the credit, but it was actually my Queen who played the odds. She said everything would work, and see it has."

"To what end?" he goaded. He lurched against the hands on his body. "You get the crystal, put it back together, but for what? Does Metaria plan to lord over the Earth? The heavens?"

Beryl laughed gently, "Why would she want to rule the Earth? She has ruled over the world for many of centuries. She had slinked between the hearts of man, tugged at their fears, built up the people she wanted to rule the earth, she brought tyranny, communism, wars, it was her turn of the tides."

"I seriously doubt it," he hissed.

"Perhaps, she didn't get all her results. Humanity is a fickle being. Fear and greed ruled over society for only so long. Sooner or later hope and dreams push through the dark shroud she blankets. There is a constant struggle she fights for the mountain, but she is the winner a majority of time."

Beryl's tone shifted. "But she has grown bored with a throne. She is thirst. Remember? She unremittingly aches for more substance. Herding people around with their fears and emotions was not enough to sustain her. She has grown to detest the order of everyday living, the mundane routine."

Zoisite could feel a dampening cloud drifting over him. He wasn't sure where her words were heading, but the atmosphere was feeling dangerous.

Beryl licked her lips like a feral dog. "She wants to see life's order tangle and break."

"To what end? Does she want to see a building crashed into with a plane? Does she want to watch citizens burn their own flags? Or does she want to see another holocaust?"

Beryl shrugged, "Who knows what will satisfy her? This continent surely won't, and I doubt the planet's crumbling will fill her for long."

Zoisite cringed, "Then, it's everything."

His eyes lowered as he whispered in dismay, "It's everything… She wants pure chaos to swallow the entirety of the universe. How fitting for such a surreal moment."

_Crash. BOOM. Crash. Screaming._

He jerked up his head. Even Beryl swiveled around to see what the explosion was about. As she pulled aside, Zoisite was given a clear view of the street. His lungs emptied in a rush as he saw orange tongues enveloping the tissue-crumbled-like helicopter. The scene was even more devastating when a thin figure crawled feebly out of the open side of the chopper and collapsed over the edge in a dead heap, her hand hanging outstretched. It was the first time he had ever watched someone die and his heart hung by a thread from the experience.

Slowly, he saw the bloody figure of his love staring at the destruction. Regardless, that he knew the NVerse influenced her actions, he was shocked to see her thin lips upturned.

Beryl's grin was identical. "Things are progressing wonderfully."

She swung around back to her captor. "Don't you agree—"

Her sentence failed to complete itself. Her voice had died when she had swung around and unable to find her captive. Her generals were staring at their empty hands just as confused as their commander. There was a noisy footstep to her left and Beryl snapped her eyes in that direction. She gapped at the blonde man holding his empty wire handcuffs up over his head. "How did you…"

The handcuffs hit the ground with a faint thud. Zoisite coolly stared back at the startled woman. "Just like Amara, I was blessed with a pair of gifts. My first gift, as I'm sure you know, is the gift of healing. You must have seen how I healed Ami's bullet wounds. But other gift is very different. It let me roam your base and free Ami when she was first kidnapped. I can teleport."

"Teleport?" she repeated softly. "No wonder you were able to get through our security with such ease. You kept jumping to different rooms."

He gave a short nod. "It's very handy, but dangerous when I'm not familiar with floor plans. I've accidentally ported my leg in a wall once. If it wasn't for my other gift I might have been permanently lamed."

Jed and Nephrite lunged towards him. Beryl hastily stepped in their paths and lifted her hand to stop their advance. Facing him, the redhead asked, "You could had escaped at anytime. You could have taken Ami out of our base hours ago, but instead you waited and let her suffer further abuse."

Her tone was harsh and accusing.

"I couldn't have freed her," he hissed. "I was thoroughly exhausted from porting through your halls and then healing her extensive injuries. I was waiting to free us both after I had regained my energy, but you rip her from me too soon."

"And now, you interrogated me for more information," she added. She folded her arms with a grim look of satisfaction. "You always were the smart one of the bunch, my dear Zoi."

_BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG._

It was at that moment Rei fell. Seeing the ghastly red spreading from her body, Zoisite fled his captors, using his teleporting gift, and rushed to her side behind his beloved's back. When he reached the priestess, he glanced up to check the intern and saw her advancing another one of her roommates. He was preparing to leave Rei to stop Ami from hurting another friend when he saw Mina come sprinting out from behind a wall of cars. Zoisite relented Mina to stopping her, deciding it was more important that he tending to the dying girl at his knees.

Hastily, Zoisite flipped Rei onto her back. As her body settled into its new position, another pair of legs knelt across from him. Zoisite jumped. Part of him believed it had been one of the generals who had come, but he was relieved to see Artemis staring back him. "Artemis!"

"Zoisite!" the man gasped, "Where did you come from?"

"The generals are nearby," he said as his answer. "No time to explain more."

His hands frantically lifted over the priestess bleeding chest and chalky face. Artemis quickly placed his hands next to his and together their palms began to work their magic into the girl's broken flesh.

* * *

Lita scrambled backwards through the twisted fragments of the helicopter. She couldn't pull her eyes away from Ami's crazed look. The girl's expression was simply too disturbing to ignore. Her lips were pulled back, baring her perfect teeth like fangs, and her eyebrows were pinched. Lita swallowed, "Ami?"

When the girl showed no recognition to her name, Lita tried again in a louder voice. "Ami?"

Suddenly, there was a distinct sound of metal scrapping. Ami's blue eyes furrowed and she carefully turned. Her gun remained on Lita. Once she saw the rail broken from the helicopter flying at her, Ami leapt back, releasing Lita from her focus. The brunette hurried to escape the intern the moment her eyes were diverted.

Ami narrowly dodged the metal pole. Landing back on her feet, she easily spotted her third roommate, Mina. Flooded by new anger, Ami faced her new target. She licked her lips. "Another play of follow the leader? You always were a show off."

Mina didn't budge as Ami stormed towards her. The blonde girl threateningly growled a warning. "Back off, Ames. Don't make me hurt you."

"Hurt me?" Ami scoffed. "You can't hurt me. You should be worried about yourself."

Mina shook her head. "Ames—"

"Let's have a go," Ami yelled. "Let's see the great leader of the Circle triumphant once again!"

Mina immediately wrapped her power around a heavy pickup truck. Straining only slightly, Mina lifted the wheels from the road and up over their heads. Ami scoffed at the sight. She waited expectantly as Mina spun the vehicle's headlights in her direction. Mina swung both her arms in a wide arch towards her roommate and the truck flew according to its guidance. Ami shifted her feet. When the car reached her, Ami swung up her own arm. As her arm swung up a trail of ice followed in a ragged line. It slammed into the underbelly of the truck pushing it up and past her head. The front left wheel swept past her ear by inches, causing her hair to flutter. Ami ducked to the side as the back tire threatened to hit her in the face.

Lita frantically scrambled to the side as the truck came rushing down. The hood slammed into the concrete in the spot Lita had been seconds earlier. The hood buckled and the front axle snapped. The vehicle then bounced and then, flipped. Finally, it crashed into a department store window, scattering a shoe and floral display.

The intern raced towards her. Mina's face faltered for half a second. There was a fading wisp of sadness before she hardened and expelled her gift. Invisible chains wrapped around several chunks of broken metal. She whipped her wrist and Mina flung the objects at her friend. Ami knocked the dangerous fragments aside with blasts of ice and continued forward. Mina began to step back as she realize her strategy wouldn't work. She couldn't be lenient. Ami was her roommate, but Rei was also.

Mina narrowed her eyes on a long piece of metal behind Ami. It was in the shape of blade with a frayed edge. With a sharp tug of her gift, the shard lifted and hung in the air. The tip swiveled towards the intern. Mina swallowed and took careful aim. When she shot the metal piece at Ami, she unconsciously squeezed eyes shut seconds before it connected with its target.

Mina's heart cried out when she heard her friend release a high pitch screech of pain. It took her several seconds to build up her courage to open her eyes. Mina felt no satisfaction seeing Ami on the ground clutching her leg. The shard had stabbed clean through Ami's calf and out her shin. Blood was pouring out of the ugly wound and covering the last bit of clean cuff on her jeans. It looked horrible, but at least she hadn't killed Ami. She had only stopped her.

Ami pulled up her face. Mina was startled to see not an expression of anguish, but laughter. Ami's cries soon shifted into roars of laughter. She pulled back her blood-covered palm and stood. There was no flinch or waver to indicate any pain from her injury. The shard might as well have been a needle pricking her.

Mina couldn't move. She was too shocked by this turn.

Ami walked on with perfect strides. Blood dribbled down the length metal and splattered the ground. They were not tiny speckles, but large raindrops, making an unbroken trail behind her. Mina had to force her eyes away.

* * *

Zoi looked away when he heard her scream. His powers dimmed from his lack of attention, but Artemis continued the healing process working on Rei. Zoisite's heart lurched into his throat when he saw the blade jutting out her leg.

* * *

Mina shuffled back. Again, she found another shard of metal. Ami saw her roommate's eyes look away and knew she was trying to find another weapon. She heard the expected scrap of metal coming off the ground and waited anxiously for the next hit. She didn't have to wait long. The second shard ripped through her opposite thigh. She stumbled by the force of the blow, but quickly regained the rhythm of her strides. Now, she was bleeding two thick trails behind her. Yet, her movements weren't restrained.

Mina tried again and again. She threw nearly a dozen daggers made from the helicopter wreckage at her roommate. She stabbed her throughout her limbs, but made sure to keep her aim away from vital organs. Red was streaming down her in a flood. She didn't stop. When Mina's back hit a nearby truck, she knew there was no way of stopping Ami without severe injury.

For once, Mina felt no confidence in her decision. She was the leader of the group and when it came time she always made the command decision. She took a lot pride in her unfailing confidence. But today, she only felt useless doubt. Tears fell down her face. Ami was getting too close. She had to stop her for the sake of others. She clenched her teeth together as her gift wrapped around another metal fragment.

"Please," Mina whimpered as she pressed against the vehicle. "Ami, stop."

Ami lifted the forgotten handgun and tucked her finger around the trigger. "Are you actually begging, M—"

Ami's body jerked forward. Her face, for the first time during the onslaught of stabs, swung down. Her eyes blinked as she saw a ragged piece of metal jutting out of her ribs. She inhaled and felt her lungs rip. Her ragged breathing faltered and fluid filled her airway. Something warm and wet slipped unbidden from her mouth and make dark splotches across her shirt. Ami tried to speak, but she surprised to find her body unwilling.

Mina was sobbing as she watched Ami fall unsteadily to her knees.

"No, Ami!"

The blonde girl saw Zoisite lurch in their direction. He was crying desperately out for Ami as Artemis held him back. Rei was sitting up on the ground several feet behind them with a shock look. Ami didn't seem to notice. She was watching her blood collect in a small pool on the ground in front of her.

"Ami?" Mina unconsciously whispered. "Ami?"

Abruptly, the dripping blood began to sizzle when it struck the ground and steam coiled. Dark vapors expelled from her injuries, making it look like she was burning, or melting. Ami took shuddering breaths. The vapor thickened and stretched upwards. They could only watch in silence.

"_So the Senshi are actually willing to kill one of their own?" _a slithering, disembodied voice spoke. Mina squinted and thought she saw a mouth moving within the smoky vapors. _"Such loyalty. I thought it wouldn't break so soon, but oh well."_

A wave of blood flooded Ami's mouth and puked red on the pavement. More smoke sizzled up and the voice strengthened. Ami clamped her jaw close. She grimaced when more blood replaced what she puked out. She could feel the heady fog evaporating from her mind and the pain becoming very real throughout her body. The last hours' events had all been seen through the end of a long tunnel, but now she was able to see everything up close and clear. She heard the familiar voice in the air. _'Metaria.'_

The large swell of black expelled from her chest wound and whirled up into a spiral. It burned hot through her chest and Ami involuntarily curled into a ball. The tighter she curled against the wound, the more vapor spilled out from her back, spinning up in a tornado of black. The group went rigged as the smoke swirled in foreboding looking mass. There was deep heavy sigh from within the smoke, _"I had hoped for a little more fun, but it seems the game is up."_

Without further comment, the smoky mass erupted into four arms and shot down in different directions. Mina was the first to realize she was one of the targets. As the black cloud rushed at her, she raised her arms in defense. Unfortunately, the smoke flew right through her limbs and buried into her chest. Talons ripped through her. Mina screamed the same moment Rei cried out. Rei had thrown a jet of fire at the smoke, but had little effect. Another arm was digging into her body and yanking at her heart. Lita had dodged. She had escaped the first lunge, but the arm had swung around and caught her. She had forced down a scream up until the hand had ripped out. All three hands pulled out of the women holding twinkling silver light. Slowly the vapor curled up back to the floating mass, leaving behind three semi-conscious women.

The last arm went straight for the bleeding intern. Ami could sense the approach danger, but had no strength to fight back. She instead gritted her teeth and waited. The hand ripped through her. Ami could feel the talons wrapping around the four crystal shards buried in her chest. She inhaled sharply through her nose as the arm wrench out. The moment it had left her, Ami crumpled onto her side.

Light pulsed from the hand. As the smoke tucked it into its body, the light flickered between the threads of vapors. By this point, Artemis had relinquished Zoisite and the blonde was streaking towards the fallen intern while the cat-man tended to the priestess.

"AMI!" Zoisite slid over and immediately began checking her numerous bleeding wounds. He pressed his palm against her cheek, trying to get her dim eyes to focus on his face. "Ami! Ami! Do you hear me? Ames?"

Her white lips were moving, but only a gurgling noise and blood poured out. He immediately gripped the shard buried in her back. He took a deep breath. "Sorry."

Zoisite pulled with all his might and the blade slowly slid out. The more he pulled, the more her muscles and organs tore. New waves of red spilled from the gap in her chest and he hurriedly pressed his hand over the injury. His heart ached every minute he hurt her. He had to remove the shard before he could heal her, but he causing more injury with each tug. She might not be coherent enough to feel most of the pain, but it didn't make it easier. He had never stared at so much blood.

He suddenly remembered a similar scene. In the other scene, he was pulling out a dagger instead of a metal shard and it was from her front, not her back. The old memory of standing in the Moon Kingdom's throne room murdering the woman he loved came back in perfect detail.

He saw her hurt expression. He saw her blood staining his dagger. He saw her love breaking.

Zoisite was flung back to the present. He was several feet away on his rear, hands covered in blood. Breathing hard, he was staring at the removed shard several feet away. The flashback had knocked him off his feet. For a second there, he had thought he was killing her all over again.

Swallowing with difficulty, he pushed back the memory and scrambled back to his dying girlfriend. His magic flared as he brought one hand over her chest and one over her back. Together he poured his magic into the three-inch-wide hole. He could feel her muscles regenerating and the blood draining from her ripped lung. Ami began to cough the last blood out of her esophagus and cleared her airways enough to speak. "G-Get Serena out of h-here."

"What?" Zoi muttered. "No, I've got to heal you first. If you hadn't noticed, you have a dozen metal piercings in your limbs."

Ami feebly shoved away his hand. After taking a moment to swallow, she gave him a weak glare. "If Metaria gets her shard, its all over. You've got to get her out of here."

She gripped his thumb in her weak grip. "Please, Zoi!"

They stared at one another. Zoisite could see the light dimming in her eyes and knew she was loosing consciousness from blood loss. "Ames?"

"Hurry…" She whispered seconds before blacking out. He clutched her limp body with indecision. He didn't want to leave her. Look what had happened since they had been separated. Zoisite, however, knew he had a better chance of getting Serena out of danger. Ami knew that, too. That's why she asked him to get Serena away from Metaria.

Zoisite cursed angrily as he launched off the ground. He heard unearthly thunder cracked overhead. His feet pounded faster as he went straight for Artemis and Rei. He felt so vulnerable streaking across the road. At any moment, Metaria would unleash her powers and knock him down with a lightning bolt. And, there was nothing he could do to stop it. As he drew up close to his partner, he shouted, "Artemis, go to Ami! Heal Ami!"

"Zoi?" he shouted back in confusion. He had been helping Rei to sit up. "What?"

"I've got to get Serena out of here!" Zoi shouted over his shoulder, sprinting through the array of abandoned vehicles. Artemis hesitated only for a mere second before patting Rei's shoulder and then, running towards the intern. Zoisite slipped between the bumpers of the automobiles. His green eyes roved between the lines of vehicles, searching for the women. "Serena? Luna?"

"Zoisite?" Serena called out to his left. She sounded to surprise to hear him. They had expected him to be around. Where had he come from?

Zoisite wheeled around and dashed down the street. His unbutton coat flapped loudly behind him. He could see the blonde princess and the dark cat-woman attending to the three outers who were retaining consciousness. "Luna! We've got to—"

_"Get him! Before he takes away the princess! I must have her to complete the Crystal!" _The angry shout was the signal for the generals. Beryl stepped back to allow the men passage. The three men thundered pass, but Greg and Darien stayed behind.

Greg drifted closer to his lover's shoulder. When she didn't show any interest in his presence, he anxiously glanced to her. "It's almost time…"

Beryl's bright green eyes were narrowed. "Almost."

Zoisite was failing his arms at the women. He had to get the princess away. "You've got to get out of here, Serena! Run!"

The blonde's huge blue eyes blinked. "Huh?"

"RUN!" He yelled. "Get out of here!"

"B-But the others," Serena stammered. "I can't leave them—"

Nephrite suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking Zoisite's view. The blonde man scolded himself for forgetting the man's speed. Zoisite flared his gift as Nephrite reached for the princess. In a quick blink, Zoisite landed in between the pair. Glaring, he knocked the general aside. Nephrite was momentarily thrown off by the abrupt man's appearance. He had foolishly not expected the teleport.

"Handy gift," Nephrite stated. "But what's better? Speed or teleporting?"

Instantly, Nephrite was gone. Zoisite whirled on his heel, searching for the man's laughing face. Luna stepped around Amara's limp form and shifted a little closer to her princess. Her scarlet eyes fearfully darted in every direction. Zoisite rushed over to Serena's other side. "See him?"

Luna shook her head and unconsciously squeezed Serena's hand. Zoisite spotted the other two generals closing in on their position. He grimaced. "Luna, one of us has to get Serena out of here. And, you can't defend her against Nephrite."

"I know," she replied with some reluctance. She slowly released Serena's hand. "I'll either stop these two or, at least, slow them down."

Serena's eyes widened. Though she wasn't normally bright, Serena understood quite clearly that Luna was ready to die. Serena couldn't stand it. "No, Luna!"

"Go!" Luna yelled as her body began to shift forms. Her black hair swamped around her limps and changed into short fur. Her ears swelled and grew pointed. When she fell onto all fours, her body didn't shrink, however, to the size of a common housecat. Instead, she shaped into hefty panther with thick claws and needlepoint fangs. Zoisite appeared to be unsurprised with this form, probably having seen it before, but Serena gaped at the woman's fierce form. Luna ignored her, and struck off, roaring, towards the fast approaching men. Zoisite had to drag Serena to pull her away.

Artemis yanked out the last sliver of razor metal from Ami's limp body. She hissed painfully. Her eyes were screwed shut as she began to take rapid, shallow breaths. She was still bleeding everywhere, but Artemis was beginning to work on the wounds.

"Please, hurry Artemis," Ami half-sobbed. "We've got to help the others."

Artemis froze. He was surprised to hear the sorrowful tone coming from the same woman who shot down her close friend. He had to do a double take. His eyes roved over the woman's profile, but he ignored the tears and blood. He wanted to look inside her eyes.

Ami sensed his hesitation. Taking a deep breath that sent a pain shuddering through her ribs, Ami swiveled as far as she could on her back without irritating the intricate wounds. Through the blurry haze of pain, Ami found Artemis's striking blue eyes. She inhaled deeply to steady her nerves. "Artemis, its me…I'm back."

"Back?" He questioned uncertainly.

"Yes," she whimpered. "There's no time to explain everything, but you have to believe it wasn't me who shot Rei. It was Metaria."

The name sent a mixture of fear and shock through him. Artemis hadn't heard that name in thousands of years. The last time he recalled hearing it was hours before Queen Serenity had sealed him and Luna in the time pocket. Even after so long of its vocal absence, the name still ignited the same response from the man. Artemis had a difficult time containing his shock. Grimacing, he finally said, "I believe you."

Ami relaxed considerably. "Hurry. We have to protect Serena at all costs."

Artemis was already healing her. "What did you do to the girls, Ami? Or what did Metaria do? What were those lights?"

"The Crystal!" Ami clamped her mouth shut when a particular wave of pain hit her. The pain sent trembles through her and her chest heaved from the onslaught. "Queen Serenity shattered the Crystal years ago after she sealed you and Luna. She buried it each of the Senshi's souls. Metaria took the shards from the girls."

"She's going to put it back together," he finished for her. His eyes were wide as he closed one hole after another in her back. His mind was working hard to catch up with what she had said. "Serena's the only one left."

"Yes," Ami mumbled. The last of her wounds closed and Ami felt her blood quicken. She gently rolled over and found her feet. With Artemis help, she rose to a stand. She was panting slightly, but only because her body was getting over its rapid recovery.

Ami spotted the generals racing across the street. She pushed Artemis aside and began to walk in the men's direction. "Go help Lita and Mina. I'm going after the Generals."

"Ami!" Artemis exclaimed.

"Go!" Ami snapped. Artemis stopped in mid-step. Her tone didn't offer room for discussion. It was the tone she used only on missions. But he had never heard it before. Thus, he was surprised to hear such a demanding tone from the horribly shy woman. He was literally stuck to the ground by his shock. Artemis watched with indecision as she jogged towards the generals. Did she expect to fight without her gift?

Ami spat blood from her mouth. She felt complete worn through and ragged. It had to be expected after unleashing so much power and enduring Mina's attacks. Healed or not, her body had experienced a great deal.

She raced pass Rei. The priestess called out to her from the ground, but Ami didn't slow. Her eyes were locked on Jedite's back. He was a good fifty yards away, but he had slowed down when the panther had crossed his path. Ami instinctively knew Luna had the ability to take on multiple feline forms. Spotting the panther did little to deter the intern. She faltered for a bare minute before doubling her speed.

Her mind had disappeared. She was doing everything on autopilot. Everything had been so hazy since Metaria had exited her soul. Ami had to push her mind to start working again. Once the wheels had started to turn, she could only vaguely recognized the enormity of the scene surrounding her. There were small pricks of understanding throughout her brain, but it was all scrambled in a heap. Slowly she connected the dots. She remembered the Crystal shards were important and Serena was the key to Metaria's plan. Metaria's wet words were the last piece to connecting the dots. _'When the time comes I shall wrench the last shard from the Princess and reform the Crystal.'_

Ami was cold through and through. She could feel her blood struggling to flow through her veins. It felt like ice chips spinning down her limbs. The cold sensation made her numb. She was so numb that she couldn't remember being afraid. She couldn't think about the hateful words that Metaria had pushed out of her lips. All she could think about was how important it was to keep Serena away from Metaria.

_'Serena…Serena…'_ Her name was a mantra fueling her energy. She swung her heavy limbs, putting her entire focus on the man closest to her. There was no plan, no strategy. There was only a stubborn determination to stop him.

And yet as she plowed towards her dear friend in the sole effort to protect her, Ami was bothered. There was something buried in her thoughts that was scratching at her brain. It was if she had forgotten something. Unfortunately, she had no idea what it was that she had forgotten, or why it was bothering her. She shook off the feeling. She didn't have the time to deal with her ever-chasing curiosity. If it was important, the feeling would shortly come back to bother her.

She charged straight at Jed's back and jumped. She threw weight against his shoulders and wrapped her arm under his chin. As they fell, Jed hollered to Malachite, only too late. They hit the ground hard. The wind was knocked out of him and Ami was able to regain her feet long before he could get to his knees. She took a deep breath and knocked him in the ribcage.

Zoisite and Serena were being herded down the road. Nephrite kept blocking his escape route. No matter how fast he ran, Zoisite struggled to keep between the General and Serena. His teleporting ability was only for short distances so he was only able to jump a couple hundred yards in each jump. Unfortunately, each jump took a bit of concentration and a great deal of energy. He could feel the tug on his body after a particularly desperate teleport out of Nephrite's reach.

He stumbled, barely catching his feet. Serena grabbed his shoulders, steadying him. "Zoisite? You okay?"

He took a deep breath. "Yea, fine."

He pushed forward. Slowing down even half a step would end his escape. And if he failed, everything would end.

It was strange to think in those terms. There was always tomorrow, but not today. Today there was a line he was running from. It was the line that would wash

* * *

Amara slowly came back to the present. She blinked rapidly. She didn't remember falling down so why was she lying on her back? Gingerly, she rolled her neck. Her vision swam before focusing on the teal color of her cousin's messy hair.

"Michelle?" She unconsciously whispered her name. Amara was surprised to hear how weak her voice was. She didn't expect to hear a waver.

Michelle shifted at the sound of her name. Her eyelids fluttered and she soon found her cousin. "Am-Amara?"

"What happened?" the racer feebly asked.

Michelle shifted, "D-Don't you remember? Ami attacked us."

"Ami?" Amara's voice jumped. She sank back against the ground. "Ami."

Her voice had deepened. She remembered Ami pushing down her cousin and then, she had felt a painful stab through her back all the way down to her heart. What had she doe to them?

The air sounded too quiet. She remembered people screaming and gunshots. Why had the world gone quiet?

"Amara, do you feel…funny?" Michelle whispered.

She swallowed, "Funny?"

"My chest…it feels empty."

"Empty?" Now, that she considered it, her chest did feel hollow. But what was missing? She could hear her heart throbbing in her ears and every breath sent an uncomfortable sensation through her chest. Her lungs and heart were there. What else could be missing?

Michelle rolled and pressed her hands against the concrete.

"Forget it," she mumbled. "We've got to get up."

Amara gave a small nod, but she wasn't really paying attention to her cousin's words. She was lost in the hollow sensation of her chest. What was wrong?

Michelle shook her shoulder. "Come on, Amara."

"Yea," she replied sullenly. She gathered her weight under her and gradually stood. They leaned on one another for support. As they wobbled, their eyes scanned the street. Mina, Rei, and Lita were out in the middle road. They were beginning to squirm. They must be waking up. Had Ami attacked them as well?

Amara swung around and saw a black panther launching at white haired man. The man definitely wasn't Artemis, but Amara was certain the cat was Luna. The Senshi unsteadily stepped in the she-cat's direction. It was a general the cat was fighting.

"The NVerse attacked," Amara grunted. Her body began to strengthen at the thought of fighting. She didn't have time to be feeble.

Michelle came alongside her. Her blue-green eyes darted towards the pair fighting beside the panther and General. "Ami's fighting with her."

Amara was just as shocked as she was by the sight. Seconds before she had blacked out, Ami had knocked them down, and now, she was defending their team? What was with the switch? They had obviously missed something very important while they were unconscious.

"Amara! Michelle!"

The girls turned to see Trista running towards them. She waved at the pair as she got close. She was welcoming sight amongst all the confusion. Amara jumped towards her. "Trista, what's happened?"

"A lot," Trista replied sharply. "But there's no time to explain. We have to help Luna and Ami keep the NVerse away from Serena."

"They're after the Crystal," Amara grumble darkly. "Is that what this all about?"

Trista nodded curtly, "In short. It's all a bit complicated—"

"Is Ami on our side?" Michelle interrupted.

Trista hesitated. "She always was."

"Enough said," Amara snapped, marching off. Michelle and Trista shared a look before hastened after their team leader. The young racer tossed her bangs from her eyes and narrowed a dark look on the generals. "Trista go help Serena. Michelle and I will help Luna and Ami."

"Alright." Trista separated as quickly as she had joined them. Her dark green hair whirled behind her as she left. Amara's eyes lingered on her departure for a second too long.

"Worried?" Michelle wondered.

Amara shrugged. "I feel like doomsday's hit, but how could I possibly know that after being awake for only three minutes."

She shook her head, "It's only stupid emotions worrying me."

"Listen to your gut, Amara," Michelle scolded. "Sometimes its right."

Amara was quiet for a moment. "I don't want it to be right."

* * *

Ami crashed onto her back. When she hit the ground, she involuntarily bit down on her tongue. The shooting pain sent momentary stars through her eyes. It was hard to tell if the stars were from the fall or the bite. Spitting blood, she fought against the twinkling dots and sought out the face of her attacker.

Jed hit her before she was able to find him, and she fell back, hard. She sputtered. Rolling on to her side, she pressed her hands against the ground. She tried to get up, but he knocked her hands out from under her. Ami hissed painfully. She heard his feet circle her prostrated form. Gritting her teeth, she swung out her legs and returned the favor. Jedite stumbled backwards, but didn't fall. It was, however, enough to give her the needed time to get back on her feet.

She was preparing to shove her shoulder into his stomach when a blur block her path. Ami came up short. Blinking rapidly, she recognized the blur to be Amara tackling Jedite to the ground. There was a short struggle followed by a hard punch. Jedite fell to his side, knocked unconscious, while Amara pulled her back up straight. Ami stiffened when the tall woman turned in her direction with a fiery look. Ami was in the full belief that the anger she was seeing was a result of her earlier attack on her and Michelle. Amara had every right to punch her. For all she knew, Amara didn't know she had been released from Metaria's grip and was still dangerous. Tentatively, Ami lifted up her hands. "Now, Amara, please believe me when I say I'm not planning to hurt you. I was possessed earlier."

Amara didn't say a word. Ami cringed, fully expected her to swing out at any moment. Fortunately, Amara narrowed her hard eyes and mutely walked pass the intern. Ami didn't realize she was holding her breath until Amara had walked away. With great relief, she released the intense lock on her lungs and expelled a deep breath. If Amara had fought her, Ami knew she would have easily lost in a few short minutes, especially with her powers out of action.

Rotating towards the racer, Ami saw her hurrying alongside Luna to help Michelle with Malachite. The wind swept pass and tossed her blue hair into eyes. Ami hastily pushed it back as it snapped into her face and pulled tears from her eyes. "Stupid hair."

Ami watched as Malachite fought desperately to gain ground amongst his three attackers. Even without their powers, the General was still having a difficult time. The women definitely didn't need her to overthrow the man. Ami whirled and searched for Serena. To her surprise, she saw Trista and Zoisite circling Nephrite with no sign of Serena anywhere. Ami nervously chewed on her bottom lip. _'Where did Serena go? Wait. Where are Rei, Lita, and Mina?"_

Her eyes scanned the crowded street of abandoned cars and knocked over trash bins. She thought she spotted a dark crown ducking behind a truck bed, but she wasn't certain what she saw. More thunder roared and the wind began to race faster. Ami fought back her wild hair, pushing it repeatedly behind her ear. She shivered as the cold ran right through her thin tank top and jeans. The world seemed abruptly to grow louder around her. She wrapped her arms around her body. Had it always been this cold? Ami glanced around and noted the frosty glass windows and snow frosting the sidewalk and car roofs. It had been cold for a while.

_'I couldn't feel anything when Metaria had taken over my body. It wasn't just the pain I couldn't feel. I could feel the cold either.'_ She glanced back to Amara and the others. _'I also couldn't see myself attacking them. I only knew I had attacked them until after Metaria left me, like she was holding back my memories.'_

Ami shivered again. She felt so small and feeble. _'I barely was able to fight back.'_

Suddenly, the itch in her thoughts returned. Ami scowled as she fumbled with the stirring sensation in her brain. What was bothering her? What was so important that she couldn't use her dire surroundings to ignore this curious itch?

She had barely begun to chase the itch when lightning flashed and struck the nearest building. Stone chunks broke from the side of the skyscraper. The falling dust got lost in the snow flurries. Ami was becoming all too aware of the drama of her surroundings. The dark presence of Metaria hung over her, the Generals were pushing through, the icy wind was blowing harsh, and the world was falling deeper into their enemies grip.

'_If someone had told me years ago that I would be fighting for the sake of the planet and an dead alien kingdom I would have called them mad,'_ she somberly laughed. _'This is so…unbelievable.'_

Her shoulders sank. _'I can't think about this now. It's not important.'_

There was a sudden clap overhead and Ami's arms flew over her. She tentatively looked up through her eyelashes and saw the dark clouds swirling. She could almost see those red coal eyes blinking between the vapors. Ami was shaking all over. She might as well have been a soldier out in the trenches of World War II. She felt so small, so exposed. She thought going any one way would certainly kill her. All Metaria had to do was roll her great sight over in her direction and shoot down a column of fire or magic down on her head. _'What do I do? What do I do?'_

Metaria was so strong. She had survived thousands of years and, from the trauma radiating through her body, Ami knew the queen commanded a great deal of dark magic. Ami was merely a fly in comparison to the creature's power. In a way, Ami couldn't understand why Metaria _needed_ the Crystal to lord over the world.

Ami's blue eyes dropped on the shadowy figures at the edge of the alley. Almost instantly the itch in her brain disappeared and Ami knew Beryl was the one who had the answer. She bolted. She pushed right pass Malachite, ducking as he swung at her. The Senshi of Ice knew instinctively, _'Beryl knows! She's Metaria's servant!'_

The red headed mistress turned her eyes into the Ice Senshi's direction. Upon spotting the fast approaching intern, Beryl leaned over and spoke in her captain's ear. Ami was too far to hear what she was saying. She was fearful that Greg was being told to fight her so she jumped when he headed towards her. Black shadows swirled over him and in one low jump, he transformed into his monster form. To her surprised, he barreled past her without giving her the smallest glance. Ami faltered, uncertain. _'Where's he going?'_

"Aren't you coming, Ami?" Beryl taunted.

Ami returned her attention back to the haughty red head. She scowled and marched the last few feet into the darkened passage. The two women shared a deathly glare. It was expected with their recent dealings, but most of the fury passing between their eyes was the bitterness from the senior year of high school. Even with the surroundings, it was hard to forget the heartbreak she had endured. All of her sorrow was from this one woman. Add her dark servitude to Metaria and Beryl was number one on her personal black list. Her dark emotions were rising to a how new level from simply starring back at her.

"Beryl," Ami spoke her name with all the disgust she could push into the single word.

Beryl sneered. She was amused as ever by the woman's weak attempt to act tough. "Did you want something, Ami? Or did you run all the way over here to stare at me?"

"What exactly _is_ Metaria?" Ami asked evenly.

"Queen Metaria already—"

"No!" Ami firmly interrupted. "She evaded the question. She didn't say she was a spirit or alien or entity. Is she human with a gift for flare or what?"

Beryl's eyes narrowed, "Why?"

"Just answer the question!" she demanded. Minutes passed before she finally added, "Say it my ever present curiosity."

"Well, I doubt it will help you now," Beryl whispered airily. "It is already too late for you to stop her."

"Then get to it," Ami gripped.

Beryl exhaled slowly, "Well, it's hard to say exactly what she is. Metaria isn't the most straightforward with her answers."

"Then tell me what you know."

"Don't be so pushy. Remember I could refuse to answer entirely."

"You won't."

Beryl raised an eyebrow. "How are you so sure?"

"You like to see me squirm," Ami replied curtly. "And I'm sure this answer will do the job."

Beryl grinned, "You are quite the smart one."

Ami glared.

"Okay." Beryl was intrigued. She knew it was foolish to divulge such information, but her greatest joy was to cause distress in the girl's life. Ami was counting on Beryl's malicious joy. She always targeted the intern because she tried so hard to keep everything from bothering her. She would pretend to be frigid and unfeeling, but Beryl could see the tiniest of flinches in the girl's face. Oh, how she enjoyed chipping away at the girl's shell. "Have you ever heard the name Chaos?"

Ami floundered, "Chaos? Are you talking about anarchy?"

"No, I'm talking about a name for a person. Her true name is Chaos."

"So she a person? A human?"

"She once was, but not so much anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"If she was always human, do you believe he would have lived so long in a single lifeline?"

There was sudden prick in Ami's skull as if something long forgotten was creeping closer to becoming understood. She took a step forward. "She changed, then. She—"

"Did something," Beryl finished. "But you won't find out how."

Ami sensed the shift in the woman's demeanor. She realized with roaring despair what the shift meant. "You don't intend to tell me."

Beryl's smile was so high that the points could have stabbed into her eyes. "Because it is far more amusing to see you struggle for answers."

Fury swelled up into Ami chest. She was ready to start yelling, but she suddenly became aware of the silent figure behind the red headed woman. Her mouth slowly closed. It was the Prince of Earth, the man in the tuxedo. She pushed Beryl aside, earning a loud retort from the woman, and stared up into the silent man's gentle face. From such a close perspective, Ami was able to see tiny flecks of emerald in his eyes. He was definitely a handsome looking man with a soft boyish face and dark curls. He could easily have been mistaken as the boy next door who generously mowed the lawns of his neighbors. She could not see any deception in his gaze, only a warmth that shouldn't have been shining from the face of an NVerse soldier.

"Do you know?" Ami asked boldly. Something inside her heart told her that the man had the answer. He was the one she needed to ask. He was the one who could explain everything. What he would have to say would undo all that was wrong with the day. "Do you know what Metaria is? What did she change to?"

His eyes at first searched deep into hers. It was as if he was trying to decide if she was worthy of an answer. She desperately sought his gaze. He didn't look like a leader of the NVerse. There was too much kindness in his soft eyes to believe there was in cruelty in his heart. This was the man, after all, who was meant to marry Serena. Surely, she would only fall for a man with a pure heart. What was his name again?

"Please tell me, Darien," she pleaded.

After a minute, a smile grew across his face, but no answer was given. She began to grow anxious as the silence stretched. She shifted uncomfortably. "Darien? Won't you tell me?"

"He can't tell you anything."

Ami looked to Beryl. "Why?"

The woman was obviously enjoying her mounting confusion. "He's a mute. He's never spoken a day in his life."

Ami studied his face again, looking for confirmation. Yet, he did nothing to warrant any sort of explanation. He continued to smile down at her as if there was some great joke she had missed. She was reminded of the children from the hospital who were born with Down syndrome.

"His mind is like a child's. He barely can understand where he's at this moment. He could never explain what Metaria is to you."

Ami was overwhelmed with disappointment. She couldn't believe he was oblivious to his surroundings. Did he really not know? Or was he playing dumb to fool the NVerse? She ducked her head and searched his eyes through the slick blinds of her eyelashes. There was no change in his expression. There was only blank amusement.

Ami's shoulder dropped. She shook her head. Where was the loophole? Where were her answers? What was she supposed to do?

"—plans to reform the Crystal and create a new realm to reign."

Ami blinked rapidly. "Huh?"

"The only problem is that the Crystal must be in the hand of a human to open its true potential. Luckily, Metaria has the ability to possess a human soul and thus, is able to take control of the Crystal. At first, you were her choice. Your unstable emotions are easily reined into her control and your gift is vastly resourceful. Unfortunately, in the last days you have fought so much against her control that she began to doubt how long she would be able to contain you. Thus, she only has used you up to this point."

Ami's heart clenched. "Then, Metaria plans to take another body. Who? None of the girls are like me."

"Do you mean their not doubtful, weak, or self-loathing?" Beryl stabbed.

Ami grimaced. "Yes. That's exactly what I mean."

"Well, I didn't think I would get the chance to say you were wrong," Beryl laughed merrily. "But you are wrong. You, the Great, Intelligent, Ami Mizuno, is wrong!"

"W-What?" Ami mumbled.

A piercing scream filled her ears. Ami's heart leapt in her throat. She wondered which one of her friends had screamed. Had been Serena? Lita? Trista? There was a second scream. Ami sought out the heads of her friends. She spotted Mina and Rei, then Artemis. She began to count heads. Artemis and Luna made two. Zoisite made three. Then, there was Amara's team, which made the total six. Add her four friends and that made ten.

Ami abruptly stopped. The prick in her skull returned. There was something about numbers that was bothering her. She told herself that it didn't matter. One of her friends was screaming.

She saw Metaria's arm was reaching down from the sky. Black fingers uncurled from the swirling column. She was reaching for someone, and that someone was screaming. She saw teal hair streaking between the cars and heading towards the hand. Ami heard Michelle hollering a name. It was the name of a person who should be far away from the scene. Her heart constricted when she saw the black smoke lifting the small child up into the air.

"Oh god," Ami sobbed. Hotaru was sobbing, too. She had a thin, white arm stretched out. She was vainly trying to grab her aunt's hand before she was swept away, but she was already fifty feet into the air. Michelle leapt onto a van's hood and scrambled onto the roof in a final attempt to reach her.

Ami couldn't believe how stupid she was. She had forgotten about Hotaru. Between her roommates and Amara's group there were only eight women. There were nine Senshi. Thus, Hotaru was the ninth. Who was a better candidate to possess, but a frightened, highly influenced child?

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around Ami. She fought viciously against her captor. Beryl rubbed her lips against the girl's dirty face and whispered, "Too late!"

"NO!" Ami screamed, fighting harder. "Hotaru!"

A purple star flashed over Hotaru and the symbol of Saturn blared over her forehead. She was floating in mid air with black smoke swirling around her shaking figure. Her arms were drawn upwards like a pair of wings and her toes pointed to the ground. Tears were pouring down her face, reflecting the purple light shining from her forehead. Her frightened eyes were looking to the ground for a savior. She looked so small against the spreading blackness.

Ami prayed that Hotaru's gift would be enough to fight off Metaria. Surely, Hotaru's deathly gift could defend her against the evil being.

Unfortunately, Ami was wrong a second time. The black smoke enveloped Hotaru in a thick veil. Everyone below had stopped fighting. Even the generals who had begun to gain the upper hand froze. Their eyes were glued to the spherical blackness that had once been Hotaru. There were momentary flashes of purple between the black, but soon the flashes disappeared completely. Ami knew it was a bad sign.

Slowly, the pocket of black smoke drifted downwards. Once the smoke had brushed against the edge of a flattop roof, a black heel stretched out and gingerly settled onto the concrete corner. The smoke crawled backwards and revealed, to Ami's shock, a tall beauty dressed in a reflective-ebony, thin-strapped gown. The woman's skin was as pale as snow and her lips a deep red. She easily could have been mistaken for a modern day Snowwhite except that her face was twisted into the most malicious smirk Ami had ever seen. She pushed back her hair and Ami realized her hair was as long as her gown. Its length actually went well pass the hem.

White twinkling lights floated down from Metaria's smoky belly. Ami counted seven in all. They were the shards Metaria had collected thus far. As expected the light sank into the tall woman's chest and disappeared into her heart.

Ami stared numbly at the figure. Was that Hotaru? Was it possible?

She heard Beryl chuckling, "Yep, that's her, Ami. Somewhere in there is little Hotaru."

Ami struggled, making Beryl laugh. "There's nothing you can do, Ami. I told you it's too late. She's buried too deep to reach. That's Mistress Nine now."

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_**A/N: Anyone see that coming? Hehehehe. What's your opinion? Do you like it? Anyone unbelievably OOC? Dramatic enough? Wishy washy? What? I must know to satisify this writer's growing writer's block. Last chapter will be completed as quickly as possible. And yes, there shall be an ending to this maddness that is this story :)  
**_


	31. Washed As White As Snow

_A/N: This chapter took a lot out of me. So much went into it. I actually decided after I wrote page 32 that I would be forced to break off the ending and make one last chapter. Otherwise, I think it would have been an overload of everything. So here enjoy. The last chapter will follow soon, & it definitely will be the end.

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_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1

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_

_Chapter 31: Washed As White As Snow_

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The longer she stood trapped in Beryl's locked arms, the more she felt that she was being swallowed. She was sinking deeper into the woman's bosom. Ami could no longer feel the warmth of hope. A door had closed, refusing to offer any light to shine down on her. It was as if she was standing in the bottom of a pit, unable to see any point of escape. She might as well have been back in that prison cell the NVerse had kept her.

Ami shook herself awake. The point _was_ that she wasn't stuck in a prison cell. She _was_ outside those constricting walls, and able to do something. She didn't have to let her depression pull her down. This was the time to push pass her feelings. Those weren't important.

Hotaru is important.

So is Serena.

So was everyone.

With a sudden surge of energy, Ami rammed her elbow hard into Beryl's ribs. The red head screeched bloody murder. Her arms loosened and Ami broke free. Darien watched her indifferently as she bolted and his commander crumbled. She raced out of the shadowy alley and headed straight for the building holding Hotaru. Ami looked up to see Mistress Nine staring down at her with a smug look.

_'She doesn't believe I can do anything to stop her.'_ Ami plunged towards the metal fire escape on the side of the building. Her hands swallowed the thin, cold rail and yanked the ladder down to her level. Maybe Metaria was right and there wasn't anything she could do to stop her, but Ami would be damned if she didn't try. _'Maybe I could try and talk to her. Maybe I could reach Hotaru.'_

Her feet slipped on the ice slicked metal rungs. Ami slapped her elbows over the side and pulled her body up onto the level. Each step she took brought her new resolve. _'Maybe I'm suppose to do this. Maybe I'm destined for this.'_

She swept pass the second level. She was beginning to believe her adrenaline driven logic. She was feeling more alone. Today she wasn't working a team play. She was working alone. She was going to be the heroine. _'That's why it was me, not Serena. This is my story like the past was her story. I'm the one who has to save the world today. I'm not playing the sidelines.'_

She passed the fifth level. Below her, everyone had remained in frozen positions. Even the Generals hadn't moved. They were shocked as the rest of the group. Beryl had never told them of this phase in the plan. They were caught between feelings of shock and betrayal. Perhaps, they too felt the edge of the world rushing towards a dire end.

Only a single figure amongst the crowd broke the tension. Her green hair flapped wildly behind her as she streaked down the road. Trista's face was twisted in a frown. In her eyes was a light of determination for some unknown goal.

But Ami was unaware that the Senshi of Time had uprooted her feet. She believed herself alone to stand up against Metaria. Or at least, she believed herself the only one able to reach Hotaru before things grew too tangled to save the child.

Ami reached the roof and found Mistress Nine was already facing her, waiting. Slowly, Ami rose and found herself amazingly shorter than the opposing woman. It was strange to confront Hotaru from a lower perspective. Shivering from the cold, Ami planted her feet and suddenly found herself on top of the world. The sky was so close that she could almost reach up her hand and brush the underbelly of the storm. Light flashed behind the dark clouds and she became aware of how vast the sky stretched. She was so small in comparison. Her confidence took a dive. The violent, wonderful display had pushed her into silence.

Slowly, the cold wind brought her back. She shakily brought her eyes down and looked at the woman facing her. The woman held the same stark makeup like Beryl and also the same dangerous beauty. Her blood red nails looked more like claws ready to rip out your heart. To say she wasn't somewhat intimidated would have been a lie. Ami could feel the slight tremble in her knees. She wanted to kick herself for her courage lack of foundation. Regardless that a twelve-year-old child was hiding somewhere in that glamour devil, Ami knew the woman held a high measure of power.

Ami flinched when a crack of thunder broke her eardrums. Mistress Nine cocked her head, not perturbed. "Do you feel it?"

Her voice was silky. There was no sound of the child innocence Ami had known. She would have thought there would be some hint of Hotaru, like some nervous mannerism, but it was lost in the Mistress's bold demeanor. The transformation had purged the child from the body. Ami licked her chapped, blood crusted lips. She unknowingly asked, "Feel what?"

"The end of the world, little one. Already the storm is tearing up the sky. Soon, the Crystal will be rejoined and then the earth will be torn along with its people."

"Don't jump ahead of yourself," Ami sniped.

A sneer. "What else do you think will happen, little one? You're the only one in my way, and I already have eight of the shards. I'm eight times as powerful and no one can keep me from getting the last shard."

Ami squared off. She was surprised to find the words spilling out of her mouth after her courage lack of strength in her knees. "I'll stop you."

The woman pulled back her head and laughed. The cackle echoed with the thunder. Perhaps, the cackle was actually the thunder, or was she part of the storm. "You! How? Without your power how do you propose to stand in the way of the most powerful being on this planet? I know your heart, little girl. You think you can reach Hotaru. You think all you have to do is say a few sappy words and I will shed away this perfect body. Don't forget that even your best girlfriends couldn't even stop you from hurting them. You did not escape her cage nor shall the child. Remember, you're the reason I have these shards."

Ami shuffled uneasily. The woman was right. It was her fault that Metaria had gotten this far. She had fallen into the Queen's trap.

"I know how weak you feel. Always the damsel in distress. Always the strategist, never the fighter. You wanted to be the heroine this time. You thought you could fix everything without throwing a flash of ice."

"I-I'm the Shield. I'm suppose to keep you away from the Princess," Ami grabbed for an answer.

Mistress Nine kept going. "You're following your emotions again instead of your brain. You think the weak link has a chance at stopping the Queen of Darkness? You know as well as I that you're not strong enough. One little sneeze and you will fly right off this roof."

The dark woman stepped forward, producing a purple heel out from under her rippling gown. Ami cowered. Any moment the woman would throw a blast a power at her and she would fly off the roof. Nine smiled, "Do you think this is destiny? Then, consider little one your last attempt to protect your princess. It failed did it not? Then would not destiny bring you to another ill end?"

_If it happened once then it shall happen again. _Ami shrank even further.

"Good only wins in fairy tales," Nine added.

Ami immediately thought of the children storybook she had found. She recalled the story's lavished pages. What end had the book spoke? She couldn't remember if she had ever finished the book. She had always thought the ending had been a happy one. Maybe it had been a tragedy? She prayed that she was wrong.

Ami shakily spread out her arms. She could feel her heels digging into the side of the roof. She suddenly was up too high. "I'm not going to run away."

"But you're still scared," the woman bit. Her eyes flashed in the storm light. "I see it. You know it's already over. You've already given in."

"I never—"

"You ran up here because you wanted to save them. You thought it was your duty. You're destiny."

Slowly, Ami's mouth slid shut, unable to deny the words. She thought about the last few months and her vague past.

"You thought this was the time to erase the failure in your past life and in your new life. You thought this was your hour."

Ami wished she had a passionate rebuttal to throw back. She had read hundreds of great literary works, but no line weighed heavy in her mind. It was ironic that such a brilliant mind like hers would be at a loss for words. She remained impassive save for the tears that rolled down her face.

Was this the mark of her hour? Her silence? Was this how it would truly end?

"Perhaps this is your hour," the Mistress proclaimed. Her voice was carrying on the wind. She sounded much louder than she should. Ami watched with cold acceptance as the woman raised her manicure hand. Ami knew what would follow. She anticipated it. Thus, it was only a short wait before a black mass flew from the woman's hand and struck her directly in the chest. Ami lurched backwards. Her heels hit the concrete edge and her head was thrown downwards. For a moment, she was floating caught between the clouds and the ground. The lights flashed in twinkling bursts. She mistook the storm for the starry heavens. She was sailing through the stars and for that time she was numb.

But then her body became heavy. Her weight was pulled down and she began to fall. There was no heaven. She could see the storm howling overhead, snapping at her heels. How did such drastic images shift? She was confused. Where had the heavens gone? How had she seen them in the first place?

She noted the fifth floor blurry pass her. How long before she hit the ground? Five seconds? A second for every floor? Would she die instantly upon impact? Or would she suffer through painful minutes? If Mina had still had her shard there would be no fear, but without their powers, Ami realized her own mortality. _'I am a fool.'_

Rolling on her side as she fell, Ami could see her reflection inside the third story window. She was struck with how wide her eyes were. They appeared to be huge white saucers with blue pebbles for irises. She blinked and quite abruptly she became aware that she had not lost sight of her reflection. She was no longer falling.

_'Mina?'_ Had she stopped gravity?

She carefully swiveled her neck and spotted a white light shining inches from her eyes. Ami blinked rapidly and soon a line of lilac was revealed. She was looking at a staff. It was a staff with jutting teeth along the one side of its length like that of a key. Recovering from the shock of falling, Ami realized Trista was the one holding the staff.

Her mouth fell open, "Trista?"

Gingerly, the other woman held up her free hand and took Ami's. As light as a feather, Ami drifted downwards. She righted and landed comfortably onto her feet. The staff shifted out from between them and Ami was struck with the way the line of purple was so familiar beside the woman. Her mouth flapped like a flag. "What did you do?"

Ami slowly turned. The snowflakes hung stuck in the air. A streak of white light stretched from the storm clouds as hard as stone. Beyond the parked and abandoned vehicles her friends stood as still as statues, mute screeches pulling at terrified expressions. Time had stopped.

"How did you do it?" Ami breathed. She cupped a small snowflake in her palm. Upon contact with her warm skin the flurry melted. "Metaria has your shard."

"But my shard does not contain my gift."

Ami stared at her expectantly.

"Our shards were never the key to our gifts," Trista continued, oddly calm with her answer. "Our gifts were always there. The shards were merely a piece from our past."

"Then why—"

"Did you feel so hollow?"

Ami nodded.

"The shard is a swell of light inside our soul. It has been inside us for so long that when it was taken from us, it was as if someone had taken the stars out of the heavens. We have become linked to our pieces and feel incomplete now without them."

"Yes," Ami whispered. That was how she felt. A chunk of her soul was missing.

"If you listen ever so carefully you can still hear your gift whispering."

As Trista said those words, Ami immediately sensed the stir in her soul. It was faint, but there. The water was coursing through her. It was speaking again, or perhaps it had been talking to her all along. Ami found herself smiling. "It's there. It's still there."

Ami pressed her hands against her warm cheeks. Her heart was bursting. "I can't believe this."

Trista stepped closer and Ami enveloped her in spontaneous hug. The petite woman embraced her in an unshakable vice. Though she should have been thankful for being spared from the high fall, she was more thankful for being reunited with her gift. It's absence had been short, but being separated from it ad been the worst experience. It might sound selfish and malicious, but even losing one of the girls did not seem to compare.

"Thank you," Ami sobbed into the woman's shirt. "I thought I could never feel this way again."

Trista smiled melancholy before gently prying the intern off. Ami blinked back her tears when she saw her face. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Look around again, Ami. Do you see what I have done?"

Ami jerked back. Her face automatically swung in every direction. "I'm guessing you froze time."

She frowned and turned back around. "But I thought you couldn't do that. I thought that was beyond you."

Trista sighed and Ami immediately noticed how wearied the woman looked. She didn't seem to be the young woman of twenty-seven years, but much older. "Ami, it is not that I am incapable of stopping time, but merely forbidden to do so."

The statement was very confusing to the intern. "Forbidden? By whom?"

"By Queen Serenity and by the Heavens." Trista watched Ami's expression shift. She could see her eyes widened and the inner workings of her mind rapidly catching up to the statement. Trista knew if given the time Ami could easily work out what her statement would implicate, but decided not to waste the frozen moment in waiting for her to figure out an answer she could readily give. "Please, let me explain."

"Please do," Ami reeled.

Trista gripped her staff tighter. "As you've come to understand I am the Senshi of time. In short, I am its keeper. I was able to do simple tricks of rewinding and fast forwarding at a very young age. Thus, Queen Serenity quickly sought me after. Part of the reason was because of the danger I presented."

"Danger?"

"Think of how dangerous it is to reform outcomes of timelines. I had great power over people's lives and futures. Queen Serenity, through means I do not completely understand, discovered my hidden talents and asked if I would become her aid. She did not wish to control time, but instead wanted to teach me the value and responsibility of my control. Before I was twelve, I had become her advisor, telling her of looming dangers and favorable roads for her kingdom. Some would dare to call her abusive in using my gift to aid her in her rise to higher power, but the fact was that she was the only person in the vicinity who was capable of holding any control over me."

"Because of the Silver Crystal?"

"Yes. The Crystal was the only defense against me if I should use my powers for evil gain. But she did not keep me close to tighten my reins, but also to teach me admirable values. She knew it was better to teach than to scold. Thus, she showed me mercy, respect, love, and forgiveness. I would have given her anything she asked because she was my dearest love one.

"That is how I became a Senshi. I have guarded the door of time for many centuries. I had barely survived the Negaverse's attack on the castle years ago. Somehow my gift sustained me. After Queen Serenity died and the kingdom had collapsed, I hid in the stars, attending to my heavenly duty of watching the door of time. I waited as Queen Serenity had requested and watched the time flow. I knew the day would come when the Princess would return and the Senshi could reform the two teams."

"You have lived all this time? Alone?"

"Yes, a side effect of my gift."

"That's so sad. You were all alone."

Trista's eyes became distant. "It was, but I do not regret it. I had a job to uphold, and I have kept to it. I knew you would all eventually return to me and I would not be so lonely."

"You are very brave," Ami stated whimsically. "I wish I had your strength."

"You do in your own way, Ami. Please remember you have done much for the Senshi. Even now you are playing a very important part."

"What are you talking about?" Ami griped. "All I've done is screwed up since the beginning. I got captured, brought the NVerse to our home, got you captured, then got me and Zoisite nearly killed, and now the NVerse has most of the shards and Hotaru!"

"But you will be the key to helping stop the NVerse," Trista smiled brilliantly.

Ami waved her hands, "Wait. Wait. What are you saying? Didn't you see me get thrown off the roof?"

"Yes, but that was only a small set back."

Ami gaped. There was a great sense of hurt playing in her heart. "Set back? Getting myself killed is only a _small_ set back."

"I promise you, Ami," Trista insisted warmly. "I have seen the future. This is all supposed to happen."

"Huh?"

Trista shifted the weight between her feet. "Do you remember overhearing Amara, the Amara of the Silver Millennium, saying you weren't strong enough."

Ami nodded stiffly.

"Years ago, I foresaw the kingdom collapsing. I could not completely unveil the details (for the future is only what might happen, not what will happen), but I knew a time was quickly approaching when the kingdom would fade from existence. It was terrifying and for many nights I could not sleep. It was a great relief when I looked into the Door of Time and saw a new vision, one that shone a light of hope on the Moon Princess. It whispered of the kingdom being rebuilt. I feverishly began to read the stars, searching for the explanation. I was still very young so I had difficulty reading between the stars. It wasn't until Amara and Michelle had arrived as fellow Senshi that I began to understand that the kingdom could survive in the hearts of the Senshi and their beloved Princess.

"I hurried to Queen Serenity with my new understanding, but my lack of information did not seat well with her. I couldn't even tell her when the kingdom would fall let alone how the Princess and the Senshi would rebuild our society. Thus, I was sworn to silence. I spent much of my time kneeling at the Door, peeking between the veils, searching for an answers."

Ami was a little confused how anyone could look into a door and see astrological prophecy, but she ignored the doubt plaguing her. Trista ignored the woman's look of uncertainty. "Amara, who was always suspicious, began to wonder about my lengthy absences. The Queen eventually confided with my teammates and I was no longer a lonely teenager. Sadly, they could offer no help when I went to the Door. I was the only one who could reach the Door and the only one who could peek into its secrets, but at least, when I left its heavy presence I could find the pair to offer their shoulders to help bear my worries.

"Finally, a day came when I discovered a new secret of the future. I counted nine stars in a black night. The brightest, whitest of the nine sat in the center of my view, burning ever brightly. The remaining eight stars, circling in two flowing circles, surrounded the great star. I knew then that the Senshi were not simply bodyguards. They were fated persons who would carry the Moon Princess and our kingdom into a new rise."

"I don't understand," Ami interrupted gently. "How could you read that in a scene of nameless starlight."

"The Door of Time is a mystery only unraveled when beheld," Trista answered cryptically. Ami blinked blankly. Trista bashfully added, "There's no way to explain it. You would have to see it to understand."

Ami considered that to be a fair answer, and let her continue her story.

"That was how the trials began for the Senshi. The Queen held the trials, but I was the one fishing through the Door for the fated individuals. Two years went without success. I began to waste away in my diligence. I became reserved and obsessive. I was terrified of losing my adored home.

"Yet again my prayers were answered and I was graced with a new image. I beheld a blonde woman standing before a massive gateway of mirror-like doors. Slowly it opened and a pair eyes shrouded amongst the stars stared from the other side. The woman entered boldly. As she drew towards the eyes, that blinked and disappeared. Next, she was flanked by a shrouded figure holding a staff with a long, curved blade on its end. The faceless person bowed and also disappeared into the night. From the dream, I had come to know the name of the Outer Senshi: The Gatekeepers, the Executioner, and the Oracle. That was how I found the Senshi of Death, the Princess of Saturn."

"Hotaru?"

"Yes, she was a child who had seen her planet live through three civil wars. She possessed a powerful gift of killing. There was enough strength in her to destroy an entire planet. Amara and Michelle were fearful of the child, at first, but upon speaking with her, it was quickly discovered that the child was full of merriment that could not be shadowed by her dark gift.

"Unfortunately, this was only four of the nine stars. I still could not mark the identity of the Moon Princess. It took a second dream to name the rest of the Senshi. I saw the blonde woman again, but this time she stood in battle armor. I don't remember much of her outfit. My attention was fixed on her weapons for she wore several. In one hand she held a long staff while in the other she held a shield. On her waist was a sword and on her back a quiver full of arrows. I knew then that I would be able to mark the rest of the Senshi.

"It was strange, however, what happened next. Instead of finding the next Senshi, I was confronted with a third vision. I had come accustomed to spending my evenings on the doorstop of Time. I hadn't expected another vision, but surprisingly I saw just that.

"In this third vision, I beheld the blonde woman. A black monstrous was clawing at her. The mirror gate fought to barricade it, but the mirror shattered. The Destroyer, the veiled figure, swung her staff and cleaved the black mass. The blonde shot arrows, swung her sword, and beat her staff at the creature, but she was still torn by the creature's teeth and claws. The only thing that saved the Moon Princess was her shield. It was battered, dented, and even ripped, but it remained solid against the creature's vicious attacks. When I thought the shield could endure no more, I suddenly beheld the handless clock appearing behind the princess and the scene froze. Then, there was blinding light and I awoke back on the doorstep." Trista leaned forward and looked the befuddled intern straight in the eye. "I know you can not completely understand the lengths of this dream, but I must tell you the importance of one crucial element within its confines. My third dream showed me not the collapse of the kingdom, but its rebirth. The light was the Crystal pushing back the evil."

"So your dream is saying that the Crystal needs to be reformed to save the day," Ami said excitedly.

"Yes, but that is not what I want to define," Trista said, making Ami's exhilaration evaporate. "The point about reforming the Crystal is important, but I believe it is the Shield that demands equal attention."

"I don't think I follow," Ami mumbled.

"Well, you see that all the Senshi were attacking the Monster. They fought passionately, but they were unable to stop the Monster. Only the shield was able to keep the Monster at bay. It might not have hurt the creature and endured much abuse from its claws, but it alone was able to save the princess and give her the time to wield the light that broke the darkness."

Ami paled. "Me? What are saying?"

"That you are vital!" Trista insisted. "I knew you were important. I knew if I did not find the right woman to take the place as the Shield when I combing through the candidates then I would destroy the chances of the kingdom return ever coming to fruition."

Ami immediately thought of her visions of the past. She saw Amara angrily debating Ami's strength as a Senshi. That's why they had been concerned with her. They thought she wouldn't be able to hold her own when the Princess would need her.

Ami took deep breaths. Her blood was thrumming. "So you're…"

"I'm saying that you are needed, Ami. You always were. Since you each were reborn, I have watched you crying alone and knowing the heartache you felt. I saw you give up on med school and take up nursing because you thought you weren't good enough. I saw you kick yourself over and over again for being the weak one in fights. I wished desperately to tell you my secrets, but how was I suppose to tell you everything without making myself sound crazy like Zoisite had when he first met you? Once you were captured, everything went to Hell and I began to doubt myself. Maybe I shouldn't tell you. I thought if I let things progress as they were than the future would still unfold into favorable future."

Trista's shoulders drop. "That was until you went charging for Mistress Nine."

Ami stiffened, "But I was trying to stop her."

"And not doing a good job," Trista sighed. She smiled sorrowfully when Ami's eyes dropped. She gently squeezed the smaller woman's shoulder. "I know you have felt useless and unimportant, but Ami, value is not always limelight. I always thought you were smart enough to figure it out."

Trista watched as the rapidly changing emotions on the intern's face. She was able to read hurt, guilt, shame, and a dozen others. "I know you want to be the one to save the day and finally be recognized, but Ami don't let yourself be played by selfish desires. Be disciplined as you have been. It is what makes you strong."

"Strong?" Ami interjected. Trista's words hadn't done much except pull her once joyous attitude into murky despondence. "Trista, you've seen what I've done. I've screwed up—"

"Yes, I have," Trista said loudly. "I've seen you charge into a heavily fortified enemy base alone. I saw you ready to kill yourself for your friends, regardless of how scared and upset you were. You were ready to give up love in the sake of humanity."

"But for what good? We stand at the brink! What good is discipline if it doesn't earn results!"

_"But it is not over, Princess of Mercury. There is still time."_

Ami blinked as a white light from above abruptly shrouded her. The petite woman slowly leaned back her head and stared up into the stormy sky. Time remained still, but above her she saw three white twinkling lights floating down to her and Trista. She could hear a woman's voice echoing overhead. Had the voice come from the lights?

As the lights dropped between her and Trista, she saw the glowing orbs swell ivory and begin to form feminine figures. Months ago, Ami would have thought she was merely dreaming, but her recent experiences had taught her to accept the surreal. The light bent and flowed down as water. She made out legs and smiles. There was a ripple and flash followed by a fading sensation.

Before long, she was facing three women in blue-black gowns. The satin fabric rippled as if pushed by the wind, but there was no wind because of the freeze on time. As the fabric rippled and swayed, Ami thought she saw a twinkle. Her eyes narrowed and see realized she was looking at glitter. No, she was looking at a starry night in the fold of their dresses. It was so dark and beautiful against their pale, glowing skin. It took her awhile to lift her eyes and look at their faces. They each bore golden tiaras with star emblems. Their hair of black, white, and red were cropped short at the top, but bore thin, long ponytails at the nape.

"Who are you?" Ami breathed.

The white haired goddess spoke. "We are the Three Sisters of Fate."

Ami gaped, "Three Sisters? The ones…"

She trailed off. She didn't expect these beings to know about the storybook she had found.

"Yes, we are those Three Sisters," The redhead proclaimed to the nurse's astonishment. "But that doesn't matter. What's important in this shortening minute is that there is still time to stop this travesty."

Ami flailed. "But it does matter who you are. It definitely matters."

The black haired one chided softly, "I told you, sisters. She is too curious. We have to tell her."

"There is no time," the red one argued.

"Good thing we have the time keeper than," the white one laughed lightly.

"Do not be so hasty, lady fate," Trista said, bowing lowly. "Remember to stop time is illegal even for me. The longer I hold this second, the harsher my punishment."

"Forgive us profusely, Oracle," Red somberly replied. "We do not mean to be unsympathetic." She glared over at her sisters and both bowed their heads in apology. Turning back, she continued, "But things are quite complex even for the Princess of Mercury."

"Absolutely," Ami grumbled. "Who are you Sisters?"

White faced her again. "We are the women behind the Door of Time, the only beings allowed to passed through its immortal archway."

Ami felt like more questions were piling up instead of answering her already heavy questions. "But what is the Door of Time? And why are you the only beings allowed inside?"

"Alas, there is not enough time to explain all the inner mechanics of the immortal realm," Red said deeply. "But we will tell you that we are weavers of fate. We do not create or destroy lives, but we do bend and manipulate. We watch, we decide, and we plan, but we are not always lead towards a definite end. Lady Trista reads our work, predicts what we cannot predict, and goes so far to even aid our cause."

Ami licked her dry lips, "What is your cause?"

"To keep the light from fading," the three women answered in perfect unison.

"The light? Do you mean goodness? Like the Good of the Universe?"

"Yes," Red echoed. "As the Heavens declared you guardians of the light, we were declared guardians of the Heavens."

"Are you supposed to keep a balance of good and evil?"

"No, though it is played in stories, but keeping balance is foolish. Why should we allowed evil to reign in any way shape or form?"

"But then…why is there evil at all? Wouldn't it be simple enough to…um…cleanse the universe of evil entirely?"

White laughed, "What do you think we are trying to do?"

Red rolled her eyes at her sisters immature teasing. "What she means to say is that we are not able to rid the universe of evil. People are the root of evil. Not all of them, but some continue to fight for their own selfish desires. Since we cannot end a life, we can only resort to playing with lives. We push and pull their fates, trying to bring the light to greater strength. It is a very meticulous and intricate job that requires all three of us to tend to its loom."

"So you try to manipulate fate in Good's favor? What about evil tyrants gaining power over third world countries? Or holocausts and depressions?"

"Good cannot jump to the forefront by a given a seat of power. The Light lies within the heart of people and must be carefully seeded and tilled like a flower. When people are given easy lives their heart grows dark with material desires and they grow blind to the light. Thus, we play with fate carefully, not boldly."

"Okay." Ami's feet were grounded once again. She could understand their perspective. It was like saying how could a child learn the value of a dollar without learning to live without versus being given a surplus. Ami shifted her unsteady stance. "I'm still a little confused, but I'll let that one go for now. Tell me what or who Metaria is."

Black nodded, "Metaria was once another humanoid being with supernatural powers. She had the gift to change her form. She could become a cloud of blackness and form a monstrous shape with razor teeth and claws. She could easily be mistaken for a storm cloud, but she was truly a monster. She had learned about the Silver Crystal's power and became hungry for it. She was already powerful, but as you might guess people are never satisfied. She sought to become one of the Senshi in hope of growing closer to the Crystal, but a seat was denied her. Filled with bitter jealousy, she sought out another powerful kingdom to plow her way to the Crystal. She slinked pass our notice and whispered in the Generals' ears, but at the last we saw her. We pushed the Senshi into place and watched the Crystal barely slip Metaria's grasp. We decided then that the Crystal was the key to bringing about Paradise, a realm without darkness."

"If the Crystal is reformed," White jumped in. "Then, the Paradise will eventually rise. We have seen it."

"So have I," Trista said. "Paradise shall start with the return of the Silver Kingdom."

"Paradise?" Warmth ran down Ami's spine in a delicious wave. She shivered. "Are you talking about changing the world? Ridding it of darkness? Is that really possible?"

"For now we must believe it is," Black insisted. "It is the only hope we have left. Without it, we hold no purpose to living. How can we cross the millenniums without knowing our work is not in vain?"

"Enough. There's no time for more." Red held up her hands to silence her sisters. "Trista how much longer do we have?"

Trista rubbed her thumb along the staff. Her scarlet eyes narrowed on the light at the end of her staff. "Ten minutes…no, five."

Red hurried to face the blue-haired girl. Her brown eyes were wide, startling the intern. "Please forgive us for our shortness, but we must hurry. Once the time flow begins again, you won't have long before Metaria unleashes her power. She will try to destroy the city and take the Crystal."

Ami's stomach was plummeting. "W-What do I do?"

Red grabbed her wrist. The touch caused Ami's skin to tingle. "Do you trust us?"

"I…" Ami floundered.

Trista pressed beside her. "Trust them, Ami."

Her blue eyes watered. She was abruptly overwhelmed with the sensation of falling. She was terrified, but she believed in Trista. "Okay."

"Go to Serena, the Moon Princess," Black instructed in a rush. "Bring her to Mistress Nine."

"But—"

Red's grip tightened, "You must. Only the Moon Princess can wield the Crystal. None of you, and if Metaria gets it, darkness shall overtake the world. The Crystal will shatter and our work destroyed."

"But what if Serena—"

"She can release Hotaru and reform the Crystal."

"How?"

"You must bring her to Mistress Nine, reform the Crystal, and kill Metaria."

White stepped closer. "But you must also ensure the Heavenly Kings are rejoined. You must place the last stone into the General's heart."

"Why? What's the importance of the Heavenly Kings?"

"The Prince. Once the Generals' memories are return, the prince shall know himself as well. Without the Prince, the Princess shall never marry, and the royal line shall wither."

"But will she marry a man she's never known?" Ami exclaimed. "They've never even spoken to each other!" She was beginning to regret their suggestion.

Red looked up into the sky, searching. "With time their memories shall return like yours."

"Like mine?" Ami exclaimed. "I barely remember anything."

"More than the other Senshi," White replied.

"And why is that?" Ami suddenly cried. "Why is it me that's been bothered with dreams and snatches of images? Why not Serenity? She's the Moon Princess. Shouldn't she have been the one?"

Black smiled softly, "Because your past was the one that caught up with you first. Zoisite followed you and reawakened your memories. Then, the NVerse, when you were kidnapped, played with your Crystal shard and shook awake even more memories."

"You may not have noticed, Ami, but your roommates also have begun to see old images. They've become reunited with their own past."

"Their own past?" Ami glanced between the faces. "I understand to some degree. I use to be in love with Zoi. Serena met her old fiancé. Zoisite found the grave of his fallen king and the stones holding his memories, but what about the rest of them?"

"You'll understand later when the rest of your memories come to light." Red replied. "Times nearly spent. We should hurry."

"So they remember?" Ami hastened to ask. "They don't seem to."

"It's only vague snatches. Dreams barely remembered."

White swiveled around. She was staring at the hanging snow. "Hurry. The time flow is about to start."

Black pushed forward, "Remember. Serena must be the one to reform the Crystal and kill Metaria. You are the only one who can protect her."

Ami saw the Sisters' skin beginning to glow brighter. They were about to leave. She desperately reached for them. "Wait—"

"Remember, Ami." Red said loudly. "The Shield is the only the one who can protect the Princess as she reforms the Crystal. You must be the one to do this."

"STOP!"

Her arm was stretched forward as their bodies flashed white. The snow flurries began whirling around her. The air was moving again and vacuum of noise burst. She swung around. Time was ticking again. It was slow, but quickly building up speed. Trista was being pulled by a powerful whirlwind. Snow was wrapping around her. She clung desperately to her staff. The light on its end was fading.

"Trista!" Ami cried. "What's happening?"

The Oracle lifted her ashy face. Her hair was a tangled mess tossing across her dim eyes. "My punishment. For freezing time, I must be punished. It's going to take me away from the fray for atonement."

"Atonement?"

"I shall be unable to help you all in the hour of need," Trista whimpered. Her body became translucent. Ami could see right through her. "It is the worst I could have suffered. I shall watch from a far, but unable to help. Ami, don't forget that a war is not won by one man, but by many. Goodbye."

Then, a blink and she was gone. Ami stood motionless. She couldn't talk and barely think. She was still getting over the shock of the entire conversation. Even having time stopped for her hadn't made things understandable. Everything had still gone too fast.

Leaning back, she turned up her face and saw the swirling mass of Metaria behind Mistress Nine's towering form. The snow was getting thick in the air and the lightning was flashing faster. Everything was back to it was before Trista had stopped time. There was no sign of the sisters.

_Give the stone to Zoisite. Get Serena to Mistress Nine. Protect the Princess._ Ami repeated the instructions three times. It was hard to get it to sink into her head, but she understood what had to be done. Her hand unconsciously curled into a tight fist. She was still catching up to the moment, but her soul had hardened. Somewhere inside her shaky feelings she knew they would make it. Tomorrow wasn't an impossible dream.

First thing was first: find Zoisite. Her neck snapped around. Spinning around, she scanned the street. She spotted Mina and Rei running towards with astonished expressions of joy on their faces. They had seen her falling and had expected her to be dead on the ground. To see her standing was a definite jolt of relief. Ami could see their stream of tears from fifty yards away.

Ami continued to search for her familiar blonde. She hastily sidestepped a mangled jeep to scan another row. Seeing no one she pressed on, ignoring the yell of her name by Mina and Rei. She wasn't surprised that they were confused about her antics, but she had time to explain. Not yet at least.

Down the fourth row, she finally saw Zoisite scrambling towards her with Serena at his heels. Perfect. She had both of them together. He looked so happy to see her alive that she almost forgot what she had to do next. A crack of thunder overhead loudly reminded her of her dwindling time. She didn't have the time to tell him or Serena what was happening.

Ami ran the last few steps to him. She grabbed his collar as he grabbed her arms. He was kissing her face, mumbling her name with desperation. "Ames, dear god. I thought you were…but you…"

Serena was also exclaiming her joy. "I can't believe you're alive after that fall."

"Yes, yes! What happened Ames?" Zoisite pulled her back so he could look his beloved in the face. He racked his eyes over her, memorizing each line in that pounding moment.

There was so much to say, but no time. She wished she could convey all that she needed plus all she wanted to say in a single expression. Unable to do more, Ami squeezed his hand. "Zoi, do you trust me?"

He stiffened and gave her a second once over. "Of course."

She took a deep breath and held out her hand. "Give me the stone."

He blinked. She saw the question in his eyes, knew he was trying to figure out what was going on. "Yeah, sure."

Pulling from her, his hand dove into his pocket. Serena looked to her roommate, "What stone?"

Ami didn't get the chance to respond. Zoisite had gotten the stone out of his pocket a lot faster than expected. Holding up the emerald mineral, the stone's face was lit by flashes of blue and yellow lightning. Before she could wrap her fingers around it, a sizzling noise erupted and Ami was tossed back a few steps by a heavy shove. Ami's heart sank as Mistress Nine stormed towards her. Ami guessed she had performed a sort of teleport to reach her so fast.

Ami stumbled over her own feet and fell backwards onto the ground. Mistress Nine's eyes were burning an unusually bright. Her eye sockets might as well as held two red light bulbs. The dark mistress made a rapid motion with her arm. Ami threw up her arms, cowering.

Between the pale lines of her limbs, Ami witnessed Nine swinging to her left and going for Serena. The intern's heart lurched. She pushed off the ground and slid her feet under her. Ami clamped her jaw tight.

Serena was yelling something between the thunder. Her blonde hair disappeared behind Nine's black form. Ami sprinted full blaze at the woman's back. In the corner of her eye, she saw Zoisite rising off the ground. He must have been tossed back when Nine had appeared. Ami wrapped her arms around the woman's waist and tackled her. Nine screeched as she went down.

Ami felt the woman's sharp fingernails rack across her cheek. It was like she was fighting with a cat. Her claws were everywhere. She scrapped her exposed flesh wherever she could reach. Ami saw dark red running down her arms.

Somehow Nine broke free and knocked her aside. Ami slammed down onto her chest. Her hands swept over the asphalt and accidentally ran her palms over broken glass. Ami bit down on her tongue. Tears squeezed out of the corner of her eyes.

Nine was up faster than she, but Ami hastily grabbed for her ankle. She had no problem fighting dirty. Her bloody hands slipped off her ankle, but she grabbed a fistful of dark fabric. Ami latched a firm grip with an inner cry of triumphant.

Her joy quickly died however as the fabric oddly tightened over her hands. She thought was imagining it, but then, the gown spilled over her wrists and locked her hands together. The dress was alive!

Ami went to scream, but suddenly, ribbons of black exploded from the dress' hem and circled her neck. Her windpipe was immediately was cut off. There was no way to break free. Her hands were handcuffed and her ankles useless. She tried wiggled, but the fabric only tightened. She could feel the blood draining from her face and her veins pumping dead air. Her ears were getting heavy.

Zoisite plowed through the black streams and grabbed one of the ribbons connected to her neck. Ami vaguely spotted an army knife. He cut through two of the black lines, but several were left. He cursed as the cut ends flailed like snakes and cut his cheek. He threw out his elbow to shield him. Finally, he was able to free a way to air and Ami took several long, deep gasps.

Mistress Nine howled fury and whirled on them. She slapped Zoisite across the face. He fell as if he had been hit with a brick. Ami squeezed one of her hands out of Nine's dress.

Her free hand rallied the water around. The snowflakes in a six-yard radius were sucked into her palm. The molecules combined and shifted. An ice blade formed in an instant. Ami hastily cut through the last remaining fabric and turned the blade on Mistress Nine.

Unfortunately, Nine had already forsaken her and was rushing for Serena a second time. Ami desperately cried out to friend, but Mistress Nine had already grabbed one of the blonde girl's lengthy pigtails like a leash. The dark woman sneered, "You're mine now, princess."

Ami's stomach lurched as a fiery arrow unexpectedly roared by her left temple. As it passed, the intern felt its heat graze her skin. The cold had barely left the half of her face before it rushed back in a heavy blanket. The arrow, that was actually a red flame, smashed into the dark mistress forearm. Ami winced as she saw the flame arrow plowed straight through the mistress' flesh as if it were paper. Nine fell back, her damaged limb smoking. Her wrist and hand were enveloped in the fire and disappeared. Blood dripped from her remaining stump. As each red drop hit the ground, there was a loud sizzle and smoke.

'_Hotaru…'_ Ami was afraid that Rei's arrow had hurt the woman too badly. There was no telling how much would affect Hotaru or her true body. It could do nothing or even the smallest scratch could do harm to the child. Ami was fearful what would be left of her once she became herself again.

Rei came up beside her. "Woah, that did a lot more than I thought."

"Yea, even without your shard," Ami was highly impressed regardless of her concern for Hotaru. Ami glanced over to the priestess and noticed Lita behind her.

Nine clamped her mouth close and glared menacing at her bloody stump of an arm. It looked like she was angry at her stump of an arm. It was as if it had failed her by being destroyed. Her red eyes narrowed on the blunt end.

A remarkable event occurred after she glared at the arm. The bloody end quivered. The bloody dripped slowed. Ami could smell the scent of burning acid and then the sound of crunching. Though it was miraculous it was disgusting to watch as a red protrusion stretched out from the broken end. Ami recognized it as bone. It was actual bone growing like the bud of a flower. When it grew a few inches, red muscle began to swell around its white body. Soon she saw digits protruding from the bud and then, she recognized the form as a hand. The red faded into pink and muscle became skin. Next came her painted nails, and before long her arm had returned to its previous state. There was a single blemish to indicate she had ever been hurt.

Ami blinked several times. _'Oh my gosh.'_

Mistress Nine swiveled her face towards her and the other girls. She glared pointedly over her shoulder. "Your flame has weakened, red witch."

Rei frowned and slid back her heel. Ami watched her roommate hold up her arms as if she was holding a bow. Pulling back her right arm, a red flame stretched from her left fingers, forming a burning arrow. It's red and orange tail slid over and under her shoulder. She seemed untouched by its godly heat while Ami was forced to take several steps back to keep from being singed.

Behind her Lita was also flaring her gift. Blue and green lightning was building in her palm. From the way she held the bolt in her fist, she resembled a daughter of Zeus. It was wondrous. Ami stiffened. The bolt, though streaking with branches of flickering light, had formed a curved line in her roommate hand. Its blade like form startled Ami.

"A sword," Ami mumbled. _'The Arrow. The Sword. The Shield. Then, Mina would be the Staff.'_

Lita and Rei charged at Mistress Nine while Ami whirled around, looking for Mina. It didn't take long. She had done like the others and came straight into the heart of trouble. Mina was rushing straight towards her. "Ami!"

"Mina!" she called back. "You've got to help Rei and Lita."

The blonde woman slowed. "Who is that woman? And how did you survive that fall, Ames?"

"That's Metaria in Hotaru's body," Ami replied. "You've got to keep her from reaching Serena. We have to protect Serena long enough to form the Crystal."

Mina, who had been studying the dark mistress' unfamiliar face, jerked her eyes to her roommate. "What are you talking about?"

"Just go help." Ami gave her a hard shove. Mina stumbled a few steps, but quickly gained her rhythm and sprinted over to the girls. Ami quickly turned around and scanned the area for Zoisite. _'I've got to get Zoi first. The prince and the kings are important as reforming the Crystal. That's what they said.'_

Zoi's strawberry blonde hair was spotted and Ami raced towards him. He was hunched over on his hands and feet. He seemed to be studying the ground. "Zoisite, the stone! Put the stone in!"

His green eyes came up. "I dropped it!"

"What?" she cried. She looked down at the ground and saw a sea of broken glass. She searched helpless at the endless fragments. With the way the sky was lit up with green and blue lightning from the storm, all the shattered pieces were reflecting the color, camouflaging Zoisite's stone. She immediately dropped to her own knees and began sweeping her bloody hands over the sharp ground. The stone had to be nearby. Surely, it hadn't have rolled far from where he was knelt.

"I can't find it!" Zoisite snapped over the stormy noise. "It all looks the same."

Ami lifted ever shard up to her face and carefully examined it. Once it was discovered to be merely glass she threw it over her shoulder. "Hurry!"

"I'm trying!" he yelled back. He grabbed a piece with a joyous cry. Sadly, the triumphant was short because he soon realized he was only holding glass. He chunked it aside and redoubled his efforts.

Ami dropped his head again. She went to reach for another shard when one of the slivers cut into her palm. She bit her lip and pulled her hand back. There in her hand innocently sat the green stone in a ripped gash. Calmly, she tugged the stone loose. Holding up into the storm's light, she saw her blood had stained one side.

"You found it?"

"Yea," Ami replied, holding it to him. Zoisite smiled excitedly and his fingers wrapped around the stone. Her fingers tingled as he drew back his hand. Her heart squeezed as she watched him lift his hand towards his heart. Just before the stone connected with his chest, his green eyes looked straight into her blue ones, conveying a silent message. She forced her head to nod. His face tensed and then, he pressed his hand firmly against his chest.

Ami felt time ticking loudly in her ears as his hand fell open. It was empty. She was frozen, unable to do more than wait for a response. All the stones were in place. How would she know that things had change?

Ami found his eyes, again. She searched them, looking for some sign. What sign she was looking for she didn't know. Zoisite stared back at her. His expression was unreadable. All she saw was green. Beautiful green.

"Zoi?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Zoi, talk to me."

His mouth fell open. Then, it closed into a tight line. His eyes narrowed on her face and he leaned closer. Ami blushed under his scrutiny.

"Princess of Mercury?" he whispered.

Ami blinked. He had never called her that before. Had his memories returned?

"What do you remember?" she asked excitedly.

His answer was to grab her wrist in a crushing grip. Ami winced. "Zoisite?"

His eyes were wet. "You're alive! I can't believe it."

He remembered killing her in the throne room. His memories had returned.

"Zoi?" Ami became suddenly fearful. "Do you remember where you are?"

His face faltered. For a moment, he looked pass her shoulder. His neck turned so he could take in all his surroundings. His breathing hitched. "Metaria. I came after you, and Metaria…"

He shook his head. "It's weird. I remember everything. Everything from both lives. It's almost like I had a long dream and I just woke up. It's hard to tell which one is real."

"This one!" she exclaimed, shaking his arms. "Please, look at me!"

Zoisite looked dazed. She angrily slapped him across the cheek, making him jump back. She shoved her nose in close. "Go find, Darien. Get the Generals and protect Darien. When Metaria realizes you guys remember who you are, she'll unleash her powers on all of us."

"But Ames, I can't leave you—"

"Go, stupid!" she snapped. "There's no time for this romantic chivalry. This is the end! I've got a duty just like you. I've got to protect Serena like you have to protect Darien. Go do your job!"

Ami tried to get up and do as she proclaimed, but his hand pulled her back down. Ami turned to yell at him again, but his mouth quickly covered hers. Ami's eyes went wide. When he pulled back, he gave her pointed glared, "Don't you dare die! You understand?"

Push down the lump in her throat, she yelled back, "You do the same."

Then, they both leapt up and raced to their designated ward. Ami's felt like she had somehow left her heart lying back in the broken shards, but she angrily ignored the hollow feeling in her chest. _'Remember emotions can be selfish. You cannot trust your emotions. You must lead your heart, not follow it.'_

Lita was on the ground favoring her left arm. Blood was spilling under her hand that was clamped down on her bicep. Rei was shooting arrow after arrow at Mistress Nine. Each attack was easily deflected with a swat of Nine's hand. The white skin of her hand was blackened by the blows, but didn't appear to be otherwise hurt. She was truly immortal. Mina was circling around, throwing random objects at the mistress' back. She barely reacted to the hits. Only the larger objects made her stumble. When those hit, she would swing back her arm and shoot random lines of black power at the blonde Senshi. Serena was no one in sight.

Ami lingered on the edge of the fight, tempted to jump in and help. They looked like they needed it. Ami, however, stood her ground. _'You have a duty. You have to protect Serena. Find Serena.'_

Serena providentially found her. "Ami!"

She grabbed the intern's wrist, startling her to swivel around. Ami's blue hair slapped her cheek as she spun. "Serena!"

"Ami, what's going on?" Serena asked, staring off towards Mistress Nine and the girls. "You said something about Hotaru."

Ami jerked a rigid finger towards Mistress Nine. "That is Hotaru!"

Serena flinched. She stared at the wicked, malicious scowl of the dark woman. She looked, but couldn't see any child hiding in the woman. All she could see was hate and hunger. "That's not Hotaru."

Her voice was hard. She did not want to believe that dark being could be the sweet, innocent child that had stowed away in their jeep. It was hard to feel anything, but hate for the person while she struck unmercifully at her dear friends. "What is it?"

"Metaria," Ami replied. "It's the creature that tore down the Silver Kingdom centuries ago. It is a powerful being that can only be repelled by the Crystal."

"The Crystal? So we need the Crystal?" she asked. There were long pauses in her words as if she wasn't completely connecting what Ami was instructing. More like she didn't understand why. It was fairly common with Serena not to understand the entire situation at the beginning. Serena had to take extra minutes to connect the dots.

"Yes, the Crystal." Ami said a bit heatedly. Serena was unaware of the tone. She was too busy watching Mina and Nine fighting. Ami bit back a growl. "Serena, I found out that the Silver Crystal was shattered years ago. The shards were reborn in our bodies."

Frowning, Serena brought her eyes back to the intern. She was confused. Ami clenched her hands. She was desperate to get things going, but for Serena to do what was needed, then she must understand what it was to be done. Ami just wished that she would understand quicker. Ami forced herself to take a deep breath. "Those lights that were yanked out of our bodies, Serena, were our shards. Metaria has all the shards in Hotaru's new body. They are in that woman, Mistress Nine. The only shard she doesn't have is yours."

Serena's hand instinctively slapped over her heart. She looked down at her chest. Ami was surprised by the action. How had she known where the shard hid? The only explanation for the motion was that Serena's memories were returning. It made sense. Serena had seen Darien that day in the woods. She had connected with her past.

"Serena, you must somehow purge the Metaria from Hotaru's body. That way you can attain the shards and reform the Crystal."

The blonde's breathing had sped up. Her eyes were clouded. Ami wondered if Serena was witnessing flashes of her past like she had. Ami hastily grabbed her wrist, waking her. Serena blinked blurry eyes up at her. When Serena's blue eyes refocused, Ami tightened her grip. "Come on, Serena. Only you can do this."

"But how?" Serena mumbled.

Ami had no answer. _'I wish I knew.'_

"LOOK OUT!"

Ami and Serena whirled. A streak of black energy was flying towards them. Ami automatically threw her weight against Serena and forced both their bodies to the ground. They narrowly dodged the dangerous attack. Ami fell over Serena and she felt the wind pushed out of her friend. Immediately, Ami pushed to her knees, readying for the next attack. As expected, she saw a second black ray barreling at her. Ami frantically threw up her arms, calling forth a wall of ice. To her dismay, the black light ripped through the thin wall and slammed into her shoulder. The blow burned and ate the flesh like acid. She clamped down her teeth to keep from screaming. She spun around from the force of the hit.

Serena was still gasping on the ground in a tight ball. Ami grappled to get back into position. She barely made it in time for the third attack. This time Ami formed a shield on her arm. The smaller the width, the thicker the ice could be to protect her.

Ami tensed up, waiting for the hit. It slammed against her shield, rocking her back. Ami planted her heel and threw her shoulder into her shield. She could see the black light glowing around the edges, trying to break through her defense. Finally, after what could have been hours, the attack relented and Ami was able to let her shield down.

Ami breathed hard. She carefully observed Mistress Nine from behind the edge of her shield. The dark woman was smiling. There was no sign of the other girls. Ami swallowed anxiously. _'They're all right. They're alive.'_

She breathed deep. _'You have a duty.'_

Those words, though inwardly spoken, brought a sense of recognition. She remembered a time when someone else had told her those words. Who had been? She could almost remember. It had been the Queen. Yes, she had said those words. She had also said, 'When the time is most dire for our kingdom, you must never leave my daughter. You must protect her with all your being. Do not leave her side. The others have their place, but this is your sworn duty to me.'

Ami felt a swell of energy build up in her muscles. She didn't feel like the same helpless girl she always thought herself to be amongst the girls. She felt strong and wild. She felt dangerous.

"Come on," Ami hissed between clenched teeth. "Try your best, but you're getting past me."

Mistress Nine's expression darkened. Her hand lifted and glowed black. Ami tightened her hold on her ice shield and waited. "Serena!"

The blonde woman was finally rising. She was on her knees and unsteadily climbing to her feet. Ami shifted more to her left to give Serena better cover. "Serena, you have to figure out a way to use your shard. It has to be the key to pushing Metaria out of Hotaru's body."

"But Ami," Serena sounded winded. "I don't know how."

Ami watched Mistress Nine building her attack. She looked to be doubling her power. Ami was not afraid. She felt invincible. She would hold against Metaria.

"Try to remember the old days," Ami replied. "Try to remember the Crystal."

The blackness was getting bigger in Nine's hand. Ami set her heels, waiting.

Suddenly, two figures ran into her line of sight. Ami watched with surprise as one teal head and one white blonde head charged Mistress Nine. Michelle sent a surge of green waves at the woman and Amara leapt high into its spray. Ami's view was obscured by the monstrous waves. Thus, she lowered her shield. She was able to see her roommates again. Lita, Rei, and Mina were also surging forward. For now, they would keep Metaria busy and give Serena and her more time.

"Serena!" Ami called over her shoulder. "How's it coming?"

"Um…"

* * *

Zoisite wanted nothing more than to turn back. Leaving her alone was a stab to his heart. The sensation left him confused. Sure, he wanted to run back to her. If he could he would have never left her. He did love her, but his past didn't. He had killed her in the past. He remembered it now in vague details. He had stabbed her viciously without remorse. Stepping over her body, he hadn't held any guilt for his sinful action. Why then did he feel drawn all the stronger to her?

He shoved back his thoughts. He couldn't let himself be distracted when he was racing against all of Hell. Darien was his first priority, then Ami.

A figure rose from behind a Toyota. He stumbled into his path, making Zoisite slammed to a stop. The archeologist stiffened when the other lifted his head up to stare at him. Zoisite's hand fisted as he waited for a reaction.

"Zoi?" Jedite slurred. He grabbed the edge of the vehicle to steady himself. Zoisite shifted uneasily. Jedite had never called him by his real name, let alone his nickname.

"Jed? Can you remember everything?" he asked lowly.

Jed's blue eyes were shadowed. "You mean remember our shame? Unfortunately, yes. To the worst detail."

Zoisite dropped his fists. He was sorry to see the man's face break with tears. Jedite pounded the side of the vehicle. "And now I've done it again! I repeated my sins!"

He began to pound violently, racked with howling sobs. Zoisite jumped in when he saw blood spraying from his cut knuckles. He grappled the man's wrists and Jedite immediately gave up the fight. His wet eyes were lost. "Jed, stay with me! You've got to pull together."

"I've failed them," he mumbled. "I've lost her all over again."

"JED!" Zoisite shouted into his face. "It's not over! No one has won! We still have a chance to redeem ourselves."

Jedite shakily drew up his chin. His body suddenly had new vigor running through his muscles. "H-How? Name it."

"We have to find the Prince. That's what we do first."

Jed straightened, pulling out of his old partner's hands. He gave curt nod. He was no longer whimpering, but a soldier ready for action. "Lead, and I'll follow."

* * *

Lita slid across the pavement. A piece of broken glass ripped through her coat sleeve. Luckily, her coat was thick enough that her skin was spared. Lita glared at the rip in her beautiful black and green feather down coat. Tossing back the hair in her eyes, Lita got up to her knees.

Michelle and Amara had already moved into her place, filling the gap in the line of fighters, which stood against Mistress Nine. At the beginning, the Senshi had taken their usual fighting formation: surrounding their opponent in a rotating circle. The circle was usually kept tight and close to their opponent, but because of Nine's unpredictability and supreme strength, they were forced to keep a wary distance to evade her attacks. Even with their caution, they were, one by one, knocked out of the circle. The other Senshi would spread out to fill the gaps, but it didn't help one way or another.

Mistress Nine had still caused ten times the damage while it was one against five. Each attack they threw at Mistress Nine was stopped. She lifted her hand and the attacks broke upon her hand like a wave against rock. Only Amara's earthquakes and Mina's gravity tosses made any headway, but it didn't get them far. Mistress Nine still stood strong. Eventually, she pushed against the circle of fighters and walked towards Serena and Ami. Immediately, Mina had called the girls to break their traditional circle. They grudgingly broke the ring and upon the Senshi of Venus' commands had lined up in a moon crescent defense. Amara, who would raise a fuss for being ordered, barked at the Senshi's heels, echoing Mina's orders.

The shift had brought a fury on Nine. The wall was thicker to penetrate. They were making her wait longer for her throne. She had already waited too long for the Princess to reappear in the timeline. Her anger became focused on the blonde girl who had taken command, deciding she was the main reason for this delay. Mistress Nine had pushed all her efforts against the blonde; however, it was Lita who had been knocked out of the line by a stray shot.

Thus, Lita found herself, at present, on the ground, staring up at the back of her sisterhood. She was luckily only disoriented. She was about to get back to the line when black pant legs appeared in the corner of her eye. A brunette man stood over her with the warmest brown eyes. He was wearing the heavy black gear the General's wore. It was the man she had fought in the snowy woods. It was Nephrite.

Lita slowly crawled backwards. Her mind was hastily trying to decide a way to handle this new development. It came to halt, however, when the man held out his hand to her. Lita stared at it as if it were a viper.

"Come on, darling." His charming voice brought her face upwards. She was unexpectedly caught by the way his smile captivated her. She had never seen a man smile as freely as he. Most of the guys she dated had acted stony and pompous. It was natural reaction of guys to act superior to her because she was physically superior to most girls in sports and fighting. She was, to most men, a challenger instead of a follower.

"Come on, darling." He repeated softly. "I promise to say sorry later."

Lita's ears were ringing. She surely hadn't heard right. "Pardon me? Did you say 'sorry'?"

When she made no move, Nephrite did. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her up to her feet. Startled, she stumbled into him, knocking their chests together. Lita frantically shuffled back and threw up her hands.

"Back off!" she barked.

Nephrite coolly stared back at her. "Calm down, darling—"

"Stop calling me that!"

His foot froze half-a-step away from her. His beautifully sharp eyes pierced through her heavy scowl. She nervously shifted her weight back and forth between her feet. She didn't like how he was looking at her. His eyes looked as if they were reading all her inner secrets.

"If you want me to stop, then I will," Nephrite answered gently. "But all I wanted was to help you."

"Help me?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why would you do that?"

Nephrite hesitated. His eyes were scanning her again. She wondered what he was looking for inside her eyes. If he was trying to figure out a way to destroy them, then he could search all he liked. He would never find out how to stop them. She'd kill him first.

Nephrite turned away from her. Lita's scowl deepened when he faced the fight with Mistress Nine. The Senshi still had their backs to them. "Maybe you'll remember the answer after this is over."

In a single fluid motion, Nephrite reached down and pulled out his sidearm. Lita had been troubled by his words and had failed to react before the sidearm had left its holster. She lurched forward. She wouldn't watch him shoot her friends in the back. His elbow pushed her back.

When she went for his gun a second time, she came up short. There was no gun. His hand was holding a double-edge sword. The handle was brilliant silver with flowing etchings wrapping into an intricate design of roses. Lita was bewildered to see it and its glinting edges. There hadn't been any sword at his side, and she had definitely seen Nephrite grab the handle of his handgun. Her eyes stalled on the ring on his finger. The amber stone it cradled was familiar. She floundered helplessly, "Where did you…"

He carefully stepped in front of her. She could do little except stare at his back. "Stay behind me. Lita, you may think otherwise, but I don't want you getting hurt."

Lita blinked, "What?"

He glared at the fray in front of him. An opening in the fight presented the dark mistress and his chest tightened. "Metaria!"

Mistress Nine lifted her head. Her blood red eyes flashed behind her black hair. The Senshi fell back a few steps and warily appraised the pair. The General was glaring with burning hate in his eyes, but Mistress Nine appeared to be amused by his expression. The sword in his hand made her lips tilt.

"Ah. So the old spark returns." She hissed excitedly. She drew up her back and stood regal like a queen. "I had expected this. I knew drawing the Senshi closer to you all would only stir up old flames. Nephrite, are you weak enough to fall for the siren's song again?"

"The siren's song? You think reliving my memories will bring me to downfall?" he growled lowly. He lifted his sword higher and pointed the tip at the dark mistress's heart. "It was you who pulled me down! You stole me away from my Prince, my country, and my love! It was your song that destroyed me!"

"But who called my army to their aid? I only whispered a few words and your resolve broke easier than the other three. Who declared war against the Silver Kingdom without his ruler's sanction? Who is truly the antagonist of that story?"

"You whore!" Nephrite bellowed. Lita flinched upon the magnitude of volume. Several eyebrows rose in shock at the hateful response of the mistress's general. "Do not act as if you are blameless! The strings I have finally cut from my body are connected to your bloody hands!"

"Coward!" she hissed. "Traitor! Murderer!"

"Demon!" he yelled back. "Seductress!"

Her lips curled back and she bared her teeth. Her black train swung up behind her stiff shoulders and cast a black background. Slowly, it spread through the air. Her hair, tossed by the cold wind, blended with the darkness. She looked to be gathering her powers for an attack. Involuntarily, Lita screeched, "Watch out!"

The black mass behind the dark mistress squeezed together like a vacuum. A black ray immediately shot out of her chest and rushed the general. Nephrite hastily grabbed his sword with both hands and blocked with the blade. The attack crashed into him and enveloped Lita's view into pitch black. As she felt the cold darkness raced pass her, Lita's heart clenched. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see what was happening.

There was a sudden streak of gold cleaving through the darkness. Lita blinked against the shine. Once it had faded, she beheld the man standing in front of her again. His clothes were scorched, but he was still standing strong. Lita breathed deeply. She was relieved.

Metaria pushed back her long hair and crossed her arms across her chest. She jutted out her hip. "Not bad. Along with your memories, your old magic has engaged. Interesting, but not a deal breaker. I will still win the Earth."

* * *

Zoi rushed pass another alleyway. Jedite was only two steps behind him. They were keeping out of the street. They didn't want to gain too much attention from Mistress Nine. They needed her on their backs. As it was they were taking several minutes to get to the prince. They knew he had been in the alleyway on the northeast side last, but they were being forced to circle around to avoid Mistress Nine. Ducking behind vehicles slowed them down.

Finally, they reached the opening of their destination. They had only gone into five feet of its depths before being confronted with two figures. Darien stood with Malachite flanking his shoulder. They looked as if they had been waiting for them. Zoisite understood. They had recovered their memories and knew the proper course of action was to regroup.

Zoisite, overcome by an urge, dropped down to his knee. Behind him, Jedite followed his example. Together they bowed their heads. "My lord."

Darien studied them. His face no longer held the blank smile from before. There was a distant sadness. His eyes slid close and he pressed his chin into his chest. There was tense silence. Malachite mutely watched, waiting.

"We have all regained our lives," the Prince began somberly. Regardless of the loud noise reigning the air, the alleyway gave them a shield against the noise and allowed his soft voice to carry easily to their tilted ears. "But with my reunited soul, I have come to also know my demise. Since my rebirth, I have lived a half-life of shattered mind and gaping holes. I have been led on a leash held by our enemy because of it. Your betrayal, centuries ago, scarred my soul and made me unable to live with the agony, even in this new life. My soul has carried the betrayal into the new age and thus, I have been unable to do more than be a walking doll."

Every word stabbed. Zoisite could feel his heart tearing apart. He was surprised by how much his past self was affecting him.

"However, you were able to salvage my lost soul by recommitting your hearts to me in the last hour. I thank you for that." His voice soothed the taters in Zoisite's chest. He gingerly lifted his eyes and peeked through his strawberry blonde bangs. Darien was looking down at him with the same sad eyes. Zoisite cringed. "But the cost of your sins is not yet paid in full. I require more than your deaths in an old life. I demand your lives and your swords in this life."

The air lifted and Zoisite could feel himself breathing again. His prince was truly a man of heart. He didn't have to forgive them. He could ask for their deaths and he would be paid without hesitation. Instead, he allowed them to retake their honor. Zoisite could past shame was melting.

Malachite stepped forward, catching Darien's attention. The white haired man bowed low at the waist. His hand went for his gun. Zoisite and the others watched in amazement as the gun slid of its holster and lengthened into a sparkling blade. The gun handle twisted and narrowed, becoming a silver hilt of roses. As he lifted the sword, a light flared on his hand and a ring appeared. The stone on the ring was a translucent white. Malachite spun the blade gracefully in his hands. As he knelt onto one knee, he stabbed the ground with its razor point. Zoisite's eyes widened when he saw the sword chip the concrete. Malachite pressed his forehead against his arms. "Though our souls have been shadowed, my liege, they have always been yours. Now more than ever. Let our swords here clear away any doubts left in your mind. We shall fight in your name or die in it should it be our destiny."

Darien smiled and dropped his hand on the man's shoulder. He waited for his lead general to look at him before replying, "I pray for the later not to pass this day, my friend."

Malachite stood and nodded. Darien motioned for the other two men to rise as well. Once they had, the prince set his sight pass the generals and towards the sound of fighting. His face grew hard. "Though we have rejoined blades, my friends, today the fight is not for my name. We must remember that the Silver Kingdom fell because of our wrongs and today we must fight to rise it up again."

The reclaimed prince raised his hand. A silver streak raced between his fingers and took the shape of a sword. The blade shone with an inner light and pushed back the shadows surrounding them. His fingers curled around the hilt. He raised the sword over his head. "In the name of the Moon Princess, Serena."

Zoisite didn't even register his own hand reaching down and drawing a blade from thin air. It felt so natural, like he had done it a dozen times before that moment. Together their four blades rose and silently shared the burden of his promise. They would bear the weight of two lifelines.

Darien pulled back his sword to his side. He strode forward, face stern. "First, we must find our last sword. We are not complete without Nephrite."

"My lord," Jedite spoke for the first time. "Even with our blades to help the Senshi, I believe Metaria is still to great to destroy."

"Besides, she holds one of the Senshi hostage. She has taken control over the Princess of Saturn." Zoisite frantically added. He would never forgive himself if they killed the child.

Darien didn't falter. "I did not claim that we would destroy Metaria. Only the Silver Crystal holds that power. Our strategy shall be to protect the princess as she leads point."

"Yes, sire."

* * *

Ami remained firmly in front of Serena. Every few minutes, Serena would say a few course words that tempted Ami to turn around. She wanted to help her friend, but she didn't dare let down her guard. The girls were keeping Mistress Nine busy, but Ami doubted Metaria had shone her true potential. Something could go wrong in an instant.

Ami froze when the general appeared and headed for Lita. She would have screamed had the general not held out his hand to the fallen girl. Ami smiled excitedly. The Generals were waking. The men were drawing to them and soon they would have reinforcements. It meant her first duty had been successful. The Prince would have returned.

_'The Prince.'_ Ami's mind abruptly raced. _'The Three Sisters of the Stars said my memories reawakened because my past found me. I met my old love. Maybe Serena didn't see the Prince back in the forest. Maybe her memories haven't awakened. Maybe…'_

Her blue eyes nervously moved from the fray and scanned the road. _'Maybe if the Prince and she meet properly, her memories will open and she can remember how to wield the Crystal.'_

She spotted movement to the left. Four men were stepping out of an alleyway. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the head of strawberry blonde. _'Zoisite.'_

Next, she saw the man leading him. It was Darien. _'The Prince.'_

Ami whirled on Serena. The blonde girl was bowed down with hands clasped and tears sliding down her cheeks. She looked as if she was praying for her friends. Ami reached down and yanked on the girl's wrist. Serena was taken by surprised and was easily lifted to her feet. "Ames?"

"Come on!" Ami yelled, dragging her in the men's direction. She pulled as hard she could, but Serena was slowing her down with her stumbling. "Pick up your feet, Serena!"

"Ami, slow down!" Serena whined.

"Can't!" Ami glanced through the corner of her eye as she circled the group of fighters. She saw Mistress Nine's eyes narrowed on her. The dark woman immediately threw out her hand in their direction. Ami cursed and gathered her element. The water swirled in tiny droplets between her and Nine. The molecules began to meld together and formed a spinning wall of water. Black rays sprang from the mistress's hand and crashed against the droplets. The heart of the whirlpool magically reflected a few rays. Most, nevertheless, plowed through her defense and narrowly miss the escaping pair. It was truly a miracle that none hit her or Serena.

The Senshi hastily rounded their wall of fighters and forced their way back between her and the Mistress. Ami didn't let down her own wall. She kept running with all the speed she could drag out of her weary body. How long had it been since she had left Luna's safe house? Was it already evening? Had she it really been twelve hours? She was amazed she was still on her feet, regardless of the nap she had in their prison cell. She hadn't eaten all day and used a lot of her powers. She had to be scrapping the bottom of her fuel tank.

A dark mass abruptly blocked her path. Ami slid to a halt and simultaneously hid Serena behind her. The watery wall evaporated. She had lost her concentration when she saw the smoking form in front of her. The dog brought down his massive head and glared at her. His pointed ear pulled back. The smoke curled at his paws and traveled up his muscles. Some parts of him were solid while others shifted with the smoke, creating a curious visual. Back in the lab, it had been too dark to see the fine detail of smoke swimming through his body. Now, she could and she was momentarily distracted by its unusual dance.

"Give me the princess," he growled lowly. His fangs slipped over the edge of his black lips, but Ami was unafraid. She glared back into his glowing, blood colored eyes.

"No, Greg." She responded, uncurling Her hand at her side. Wiggling her fingers, she drew the water molecules into her palm. As they whirled, they stretched and built a pointed throng. A flash of ice and she was bearing a spear. "Get out of my way."

His snapped his sharp teeth. "I don't want to hurt you, Ami. Give me the princess."

Ami tightened her grip. "Don't lie to me. You're more than willing to kill me."

"Ami—"

"Move, Greg." She said briskly. "Because I'm just as willing to kill you."

He stamped his foot, kicking up smoke. "You would kill me? Your lost love?"

"My once love," she replied stonily. "The same love that betrayed me. The love that broke my heart and then, my flesh."

"So poetic," his voice sizzled. He tilted his head ever so slightly. "You sound different, Ames. Confident almost."

His lips twisted and he looked almost like he was smiling instead of snarling. "But I know you. I know your heart. You're frightened. You think this is the end—"

Her blue eyes flickered. "The end for you!"

Greg launched, teeth aimed for her throat. Ami lifted her spear to block him, but it wasn't necessary. Zoisite's sword rammed down into the dog's spine and forced him to the ground. Greg roared, thrashing about violently. The blade ripped through bone and tissue, and exited out of the left breast. His blood splattered across the concrete, sizzling holes in the pavement.

Ami was numb. She watched as Greg's body began to transform. The black smoke receded from his limbs and his red eyes faded to familiar brown. Soon, she was staring down at Greg's impaled body. The life in his face disappeared by the time he had returned to humanoid form. His arm was stretched forward, reaching out to her. The image of his dead body burned into her mind.

Tears were threatening to clog her throat. She couldn't breath. How had he gotten here? His angry scowl was alien to her. She had never seen him look as angry as he did in death. Was that his real face? Had his shy smile been his mask? Or was it Metaria's blackness covering his gentle heart? Was he ever Greg, the man she had loved? Had it been a scam?

Warm hands cupped her cheeks. She blinked back tears and focused on Zoisite's concerned face. "Ames? Ames?"

Slowly, the present came back to her.

_'Stop it. There's no time for this.' _She pushed her hands away. This was not the time to mulling over him. It was unfortunate, but she could think about his death later. She swallowed, "It's okay. I'm fine."

Zoisite breathed deeply. "You scared me for a minute."

_'I scared me, too.' _Her eyes darted from his face. She spotted the prince standing a few feet away. At first, she thought he was staring at her, but then she realized his brown eyes were set on her shoulder. Or actually, his eyes were looking past it. Ami turned. Serena was staring back at him, her mouth open. Her blue eyes were glazed.

_'Love at first sight?'_ Ami wondered. _'Or would it be love at second sight?'_

Ami pulled out of Zoisite's hands, "Serena?"

The blonde blinked out of stupor. "Huh?"

Ami stepped to side and blocked the woman's view of the prince. Serena tried to peek over her, but Ami was relentless. She desperately sought her friend's eyes. "Serena, do you remember anything?"

Serena blinked, again. "Remember what? Him?"

"That's the prince, Serena." Ami's throat tightened. "You're prince."

"Yes, that's him," the blonde woman whispered. Her voice sounded like it was floating in the air. She was walking towards him. Her long fingers were reaching out. Darien ignored their audience. His eyes were only for her at that moment.

Ami blushed. She couldn't believe how they were reacting. Their eyes were full of puppy dog love. She fell back as they drew together. She watched Darien swept his knuckles across Serena's cheek. The affectionate gesture made Ami wonder. Why hadn't she and Zoisite reacted that way? Was it because Serena and Darien's past relationship had held on till the end while she and Zoisite's had broken? After all, she had been murdered by her love.

"Is it strange to feel this way? So soon?" Darien said huskily.

Serena let out a small breath she had been holding. "I don't know. It doesn't feel strange."

Ami rolled her eyes. _'This is unreal. They've barely spoken two words and they're in love?'_

Love, in Ami's mind, could not be developed through a single instance. Sure, they had a previous life of love influencing their present moment, but that couldn't be enough. Serena couldn't be in this deep from a brushing memory.

"Rei!"

Ami swung around. She saw a black splash falling to the ground. Rei was falling. Mistress Nine's face glared past the streaming hair. Ami saw her hands sending a new wave of attacks at Serena and Darien. From the angle of the attacks and the position of the group, Ami realized her mistake. Darien hastily wrapped his arms around Serena and bared his back to the brunt of the attack. Ami threw all her energy into building another wall of water (it was faster than ice). Ami cried out as the attacks ripped through her defense as if it had been rice paper. It rammed directly into the prince's back.

There were angry shouts surrounding her. She heard Malachite swearing and Nephrite calling out worried cries. Ami could feel her legs buckling as Darien's body slumped against Serena. Ami was falling with them to the ground. Her knees hit. She was hunching over the love struck pair. Serena was sobbing, clutching the unconscious man to her bosom. Darien's eyes were closed and his face starkly pale. The Generals had swarmed around them, blocking further attacks.

"Endymion?" Serena's tears were racing down her face. She shook the prince as she screamed for him. Ami pushed shaky hands towards the man's neck. Serena's wide, blue eyes darted up to her friend. She silently pleaded with her to save him. Ami anxiously avoided her eyes. She was just as terrified of his condition. If he died, then the kingdom could not be sustained. He was as vital as Serena. She pressed a finger against his pulse point and held her breath. It seemed like forever, but finally she felt a weak beat beneath the skin.

Ami shakily withdrew. "He's alive."

Serena sucked back one of her sobs and forced a smile. She couldn't, however, stop the tremble in her voice. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Zoi!" Ami called over her shoulder. "I need you!"

The attacks were still raining on the other side of the generals. As Zoisite swept down beside her, Ami wondered how her sisterhood was faring. She unconsciously prodded Zoi towards the prince as she tried to peek between Malachite and Jedite's legs. All she could see was black and all she could hear was thunder. She was thrown into a black hole. She couldn't see what was happening around them.

"He'll be alright."

"He will?"

"He hurt, but I can heal him."

"Thank God!"

Ami's heart leapt. Their chances weren't killed, yet. She could still sway this war.

Serena was no longer clutching Darien to her. She had allowed Zoisite to take him and begin the healing process. Serena looked to her friend with a watery smile. "He's going to be okay, Ames."

The small nurse scrambled closer to her friend. She looked her straight in the eye. "Serena, he'll be okay once Zoisite finished, but he could still die."

"What?" Serena chocked.

Ami clutched her arm. "Serena, if we don't stop Metaria then Zoisite saving his life will mean nothing. She'll kill us all."

"B-But I thought you said…the Crystal…"

"Yes, the Crystal. It can save us and destroy Metaria. But that's only if you remember how to use it. Serena, do you remember?"

Serena glanced to the ground. "Well, I…don't know…"

"Please, Serena," Ami begged. "Think hard. You have to remember. You're the only one who can use the Crystal. You only have a shard, but it should be enough to save Hotaru and regain the other shards."

"I…I think…" Serena gulped. "I think I can do it."

'_That's all I need.' _Ami clutched Serena's hand. "I'll stay with you, Serena. I'll protect you while you try to work the shard. Hopefully, Mistress Nine will be distracted enough by the others to give us some time. This is our best chance."

"I…" Serena was still swept up by Darien's appearance and fall. She was worried about many things.

Ami blinked back tears. "Serena, please trust me. I promise I know what I'm doing."

Her anxious expression dissolved. Serena smiled, "I know you do, Ames. If you say its what we should do, than let's go. I'm ready."

Ami grinned and stood up. She had risen so quickly that she startled Zoisite. He momentarily broke from his work. When Serena rose up as well his expression became startled. "Wait. What are you doing?"

Ami looked down. "Remember, Zoisite, we each have our duty. I have to protect Serena and you must protect Darien."

"But what are you about to do?" he asked loudly. "Where are you going?"

"You and the Generals must help the Senshi fight Mistress Nine. Keep her busy while Serena and I gather the Crystal. We're going to kill the monster," Ami replied firmly. She abruptly grabbed Serena's hand and plunged out into the darkness.

Zoisite couldn't believe what she was doing. She was leaving the safety of his group to challenge the witch. She hadn't been able to protect Serena since this fight, but she still believed it was her destiny. He wanted nothing more than to run after her and throw his arms around her. He wanted to shield her from this fray. _'It comes down to whether I trust her or not. If I trust her, then I must stay with my prince. I must play my part.'_

Zoisite could not, however, remove the fear plaguing his heart.

Ami was surprised by how dark it had gotten. The sun had already been blocked by the storm, but it had changed to a whole different kind of darkness. There were street lamps pushing to shine, but the air had become living black. It swam and curled around her. It pressed against her chest, squeezing her lungs. The heavy darkness made it difficult to see and run. She could only make out vague lines of her friends and the Mistress Nine. Ami was worried Metaria's eyes could pierce through the fog of darkness.

Ami picked her way around an array of cars and stopped at tailgate. Her eyes narrowed. "I think I see Mistress Nine. This should be a good enough spot."

She carefully gauged her position between the demon woman and Serena. "I'll cover you until your ready."

Serena hesitated. She studied her friend's hard profile; she was struck by how determined the blue-haired girl looked. "Okay."

Ami squinted. "Get started. She hasn't spotted us yet, but when she does, she will throw everything at us. I'm not sure how much I can hold out against."

Serena nodded silently and cupped her hands together. She focused on her gift, pushing out into her palms. Her vague memories told her that opening her gift would bring out the shard. She remembered her gift flaring in her hands and something bright, warm spreading through her. Almost immediately, her gift appeared, its white starlight sparking in her hands. It flickered.

Serena bit her lip. She thought about Darien. She remembered walking through a garden of roses and holding his hand. She saw a crystal throne and him standing beside it. She could feel him kissing her and whispering sweet things. As she thought of him, the light in her hand grew stronger.

She frowned. Were her memories what brought out her gift? Or were her strong feelings manifesting into light? Either way she continued to rifle through her new memories.

Ami watched the flow of figures fighting in the shadowy forefront. As she waited, she debated what would be her best defense. Both ice and water had proved fallible. They had done little for cover and both had broken under Nine's attack. By Trista's dream, she was supposed to be able to withstand the attacks.

She was steadily growing nervous as time passed. She had no idea what to do. All she had was the element of water to protect them. Since that wouldn't work, what should she do?

'_Think, Ames.'_ She stiffened. _'There has to be something I'm missing. Somewhere in my past.'_

Images whirled. Her memories were stronger. The fight, Metaria, and everyone around her were opening new doors in her mind. She could almost remember the entirety of her old life. Unfortunately, a lifetime was a lengthy list. She wasn't sure what she was looking for or where to find it.

'_It's something big.' _ She began mumbling to herself. _'Something about…status? No, something to do with…the planets?' _

There was something astrological about their destiny. Maybe she needed—

Heat pressed against her back and light stretched across the pavement. Ami stared down at the light creeping out from behind her. It was rapidly sweeping down the road, straight at Mistress Nine and the others. Serena was getting close to the shard. Ami was certain that's what the light meant. Ami fixed her eyes back on Nine, waiting for the light to reach her. Once Nine felt it, she would know what they were trying.

'_Think, Ames. Think!'_ Ami could see the others clearer. The light was strong enough to pierce the living darkness. The warm light finally brush Nine's dress and traveled up her legs. Burning red eyes snapped towards her. Ami spread her heels and braced herself. _'Something about the planets. The planets.'_

Mistress Nine screeched a high cry of anger. Ami flinched and slapped her hands over her ears. Squinting through her lashes, Ami saw Nine release an enormous wave of black energy. _'Man, she's pissed.'_

The dark mass was barreling towards her at a rapid speed. Serena screamed out her name as Ami braced for the impact. _'I'm not moving.'_

The wave of energy was seconds away. Instinctively, Ami pushed out her palms. The movement of her arms sent a sense of dejavu through her. She stared down at her hands and saw a blue glow reflecting across her knuckles. Her forehead was burning like the time the symbol showed across her forehead. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard a voice call out, _'Mercury. I am the Princess of Mercury, the Senshi of Ice and the Shield.' _

The blue light shone brighter. _'I shall protect her with my life. No matter how sappy that sounds.'_

The black crashed against the blue. Ami blinked rapidly. Her blue light had created a spherical bubble around her and Serena. Her fingers were mere inches from the blue surface, inches from the dangerous energy that churned against the barricade.

Ami was astonished. She hadn't done anything special. All she had done was made a sappy declaration to protect Serena. Was that what it took? To only think the words? Or perhaps it was the inner desire to protect her? The connection to the planet Mercury? It was all very strange and surreal. Was the planet of Mercury protecting her?

"Ami, I've got it!"

The intern carefully peeked over her shoulder. Serena was cupping a white light in her long fingers. If Ami squinted against the brightness, she could make out the broken edges of the shard. Serena's long pigtails were floating behind her, pushed by the magically light that swelled from the shard. Serena's mouth was gapping open in awe. Ami grinned, "Good! Now, aim it at Mistress Nine!"

Serena's face became hard. Just like how Ami had instinctively known how to raise her shield, Serena also knew how to use the Crystal. She held open her hands. The shard rose from her palm and began to float between her fingers. The light within its glassy heart built and pushed against its container. She could feel the crystal getting hot. She could have been holding a burning red coal and she wouldn't have known the difference. The white burst from the shard in a brilliant ray.

The blue in Serena's eyes was pushed back and the white reflected in her irises. The way her eyes became pure white made her haunting. Ami unconsciously stepped back at the sight. "…Serena…"

The ray raced in front of Ami. The heat flushed over her, sending shivers down to her toes. With her hair flying from the gush of power, her blue eyes ran down the length of its shine, watching it collide straight into Mistress Nine. The dark woman shot up her arms, trying to shield herself from the raw power, but the light swallowed her in a thin second.

Suddenly, the light was everywhere. She could no longer see Mistress Nine or anyone else. Its warmth wrapped her in a cocoon. Ami's eyelids grew heavy as her heart drummed in her ears. She could almost see streaks of rainbows dancing amongst twinkling lights. She swayed with the rolling colors. She felt like it was tossing her in the wave of an ocean.

Then in a blink, the light was gone and she was standing over a whimpering form that curled up on the ground. Ami shook away the heady sensation and studied the figure. It was Hotaru with her knees tucked up to her chest. Her black hair was a tangled mess skewed across the pavement. Her smudged cheeks were spilled over with tears.

Instantly, Ami was on her knees. She pulled Hotaru into her lap and wiping away her tears. "Sh. Its okay. I'm here."

Hotaru stared up at her with wide eyes. "Ami?"

The intern nodded, smiling with all her might. "Its me."

Hotaru grabbed her forearm, clutching with amazing strength. She sobbed into her chest. "It was awful. I could see everything, but I couldn't stop it. S-She pushed off the roof. I was screaming, but no one could hear me. I-I'm sorry!"

"No," Ami squeezed her. "It wasn't your fault, Hotaru. The same thing happened to me. I wasn't able to do anything either."

Hotaru gulped loudly, "It was so cold. It felt like I was covered in ice. But then, there was some kind of light. It was so warm like summer on the beach. Someone called my name. They said I was a princess. They said I was a S-Senshi of Saturn."

"You are, Hotaru. That's why that woman took over your body. They knew you were someone important."

"Important?" Hotaru whispered. "But, Ami, what's a Senshi? Is that some sort of princess?"

"Not exactly." Ami pushed back the girl's bangs. Hotaru began to shiver from the cold so Ami pulled her deeper into her lap to save her from the icy wind. "It's a long story, but you are a protector of…um…your love ones."

Hotaru's face went slack, and then, her eyes went glassy. Ami became frightened, but she was glad to hear the child speak. "Protect…protect."

Ami was preparing to coax her when a flicker of light stopped her. Hotaru's forehead was splitting from a line of purple light. Ami couldn't move as the line shifted and formed the planetary symbol of Saturn. Once it settled on her brow, Hotaru took a deep breath and relaxed in her arm. Her brown eyes sharpened and her face became hard. Ami was confused by the shift. She stared quietly as Hotaru pulled up into a sitting position. She studied her surroundings for a moment, ignoring the intern beside her. Ami was growing more and more befuddled. Slowly, Hotaru faced the intern, her face solemn.

Ami started, "Hotaru?"

The little girl nodded. "It's okay, Ami. I'm alright. I just…remember."

"Remember?"

"Yea, I remember being a Senshi. I use to hold a scythe on a long staff, and was called the Goddess of Death." Her eyes grew distant. "It seems like yesterday I was walking through the rose gardens."

Ami was frozen in shock. "Hotaru, I…never even considered you remembering your old life. It never came to mind."

"It's okay," Hotaru rushed. "They're not bad memories. They actually are very fond ones. We were all very close. Much like a family."

"It must have been Metaria taking over your body that jostled the memories loose." Ami mumbled. "Amazing."

Hotaru smiled through her tears, "You can say that again."

Ami laughed lightly and rubbed Hotaru's crown. Suddenly, light surrounded them. Rays of colors rippled through the air, making Ami swivel on her seat. Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp. Serena was standing tall, her clothes and hair swirling around her. The Crystal shards were floating in her outstretched arms, twinkling as they danced around her. The beautiful image was a living display of heaven. Ami could have sworn she had even seen wings of light stretching out from Serena's back.

Gradually, the shards whirled towards Serena's hands, melding together. They slipped together like flower petal circling a blossom. Its heart was burning brighter than a thousand candles. When the last fragment slipped into place, there was a momentary flash followed by a dimming awe of Serena cupping a crystal rosebud.

Ami's chest gave a heave as she gulped back tears. It was so beautiful. All her bones were on fire and her heart was galloping. There was pool of relief swishing in her stomach and excitement building in her soul. Serena had retrieved the Crystal!

"NO! You filthy whore!"

Ami couldn't believe what she heard. Following the voice she knew all too well, Ami looked to see Beryl towering over Greg's bloody form. She thought at first that Beryl was grieving over her lost love, but Ami was surprised to see that Beryl wasn't giving the corpse the least of her attention. Her entire surge of anger was set on Serena and her glowing power.

Ami scolded herself for having forgotten the horrible woman. Where had she been this whole time?

"I shall have that Crystal!" Beryl screamed, her red hair flapping like a red flag of war. "You have undone Metaria's hold on the child, but you have not finished her."

Ami noticed a black curtain shifting behind the redhead. Metaria had regrouped, her dark body nuzzling her last follower. Beryl didn't acknowledge the monster as it stroked her legs. She glared at Serena, fury burning in her eyes. "She will never die! Soon there will only be Metaria left in this world."

Ami leapt to her feet. "Beryl, stop it! Metaria doesn't care about anyone, but herself. Once she has what she wants, she'll have no use for you and then, she will kill you as well."

Beryl cackled at the intern passionate cry. "Oh, what great insight. Thank you, Ami, for being here to share your extensive knowledge of the world. Don't be a fool! I know this! Metaria is to high a goddess to consider that she would bother with a lowly human. But I am no lowly person. I have been her sanctuary for the last few decades. When she takes the throne of the world, it shall be in my body. I am worth more than thousand stars. I give her form and solidarity. I am the link to her success. In a sense, I am Metaria."

The black mass began to seep into Beryl's body, directly into her pores and mouth. Cackling laughter echoed through the air and Ami immediately recognized it as Metaria's laugh. Red eyes glared at her from the center of the dark curtain. Ami began screaming for Serena.

* * *

_A/N: See what I mean when I said you might get an overload. Just think, there's still another awesome battle. Yea! But pushing that aside, what did yall think? How did you like the Stars coming in? Anyone see that coming? Do you think all the characters are really developed and believable? IT's hard to use these many characters, with so much history and importance, without making it too complex and exhausting. Plus, I'm trying to stick to Ami/Zoi, which is difficult in this plot line. I'm very happy with the result, but that's me. I have no idea what you all think so TELL ME!!!!  
_


	32. On the Otherside of the Rainbow

_**A/N: Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry, this took longer than expected. I've been pulling a lot of hours at work and the holidays swamped me with friends and family. Anyways, this is the long awaited final chapter. Hope you are not disappointed.  
**_

* * *

_Snowflakes_

_By angelwings1

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_

_Chapter 32: On the Other Side of the Rainbow

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_

_-Flashback-_

_Luna shifted for the millionth time in her bed. She did her best not to disturb Artemis who was pressed against her back. He had been up for the last two days in delegations with Earth. He had only returned this evening, barely making it to the bed before crashing into an exhaustive heap. His long, white hair spilled over the rim of his pillow and draped over her shoulder as his nose brushed the inside of her collar. She didn't dare wake him. _

_Luna frowned. Regardless, she couldn't sleep. Queen Serenity had told her something while Artemis had been away. It had been gnawing at her. She glanced up through her curtains and saw Mars' moon reaching the zenith mark. Her skin itched. Queen Serenity told her it would be best to go when the moon was high._

_Gingerly, she rolled and studied her husband. He was dead to the world. Still she was careful to slip out from under the blankets. Her feet pressed against the cold floor and quietly tiptoed across their small bedroom. She opened the door and passed through like a wisp of air. As she slid the door close, she gave one last look at her husband's handsome face cast in the moonlight. _

_The corridor was quiet. At such an hour, it should be expected. During a time of peace, such as it was, made the halls docile. In either direction there were sentries on watch, but hardly on their toes. They would pay her no heed. She was personal aid to her majesty and given access to all secrets of the silver castle. However, her skin itched horribly and she was tempted to change into her smaller form. Rolling her shoulders, she shed her pale skin for midnight fur and anxiously raced down the hall. _

_The sentries glanced down at her as she passed. She had habit of running the halls at night. Her magic was tied to the moon and gave her nightly urges to play in the moonlight. She often stole away from her husband. _

_Luna sped to the grand stairway, one of the castle great displays. Twin pearl rails rolled down a stretch of wide steps in gold carpet. A crystal chandelier of delicate design hung from the ceiling. The way the light twinkled through its layers created an image of starry constellations. Gold banners with the Silver Kingdom's crescent symbol streamed down with silver tassels. The bottom floor was of the finest stone of the moon. It was a off white with streaks of silver and gold racing through its surface. _

_This late in the night, the silver in the room had become a calm blue-gray. It soothed the richness in the scene. Luna trotted through the room, accustomed to its elegance. Feeling frisky, she leapt up onto the banister and skated her way up to the next floor. Her long tail swayed, keeping her balance. Reaching the top, she leapt back to plush carpet and trotted to the next set of doors. A few more halls and soon she sat outside a modest door of carved wood. Its face marked the house of Pluto._

_She hesitated. The queen said she should enter at night, but was it not rude to wake the princess at such a late hour. Her whiskers twitched. 'I can't wait another night.'_

_She lifted a paw and gently tapped the door's foot. "Princess? Are you awake?"_

_Seconds passed with no answer. Luna's ear pricked desperately for the princess. She truly didn't want to go back to her room. She would only continue to toss and turn. Luna stubbornly waited. She wouldn't dare to enter without permission. Aid or not, she had no authority to invade the privacy of a royal. Again, she knocked. "Lady Trista?"_

"…_Is someone there?"_

_Luna sighed happily, "Yes, it's me, Luna. I'm sorry to bother you princess, but I am following the queen's command."_

_The door opened and revealed a sleepy eyed lady with green hair. Trista wiped her face and straightened her nightgown. "It's quiet alright, Luna. I've been a night owl these last nights. What might I help you with?"_

"_If it would not be too much trouble, Trista, I would hope to enter the Door of Time."_

_The princess awoke almost instantly. "What? Why?"_

"_Don't be distress," Luna quickly replied. "I merely am unnerved with the growing danger to our kingdom. I've been asking Queen Serenity if there might be more for me to do to help, but she said she could not answer such a question. She said I would have to speak with the Three Sisters to get a proper answer."_

_Trista's scowl did not lessen. "I'm not sure if that is at all wise. The Door of Time is very…fickle."_

_Luna had no idea what she meant by the comment. Yet, she would not be deterred. Her heart was too anxious to quiet. "Please, allow me. I promise to be respectful."_

"_It is not about respect, Luna. It is whether the door believes you deserve an answer." She pulled the door open a fraction more. "But I am not your judge. I shall give you the door."_

"_Thank you, princess." Luna whispered, darting inside. Her scarlet eyes darted over the endless drawings of constellations and galaxies. A staff leaned against a canopy bed and tea table was set on the furthest wall of the room. Steam still curled from a teacup. _

_Luna's eyes darted to a piece of parchment that stole the entire surface of one wall. It was taller than Trista by several feet and was forced to curl at the top to make way for the press of the ceiling. Drawn on it in innocent black ink was a design of a curved door. The door was covered in strange symbols Luna could not begin to decipher. She had never seen the language. She knew immediately that the drawing was not a mere drawing. _

_Her heart was thundering in her ribs when she saw the Senshi of Time draw up to the parchment. Trista reached for the drawn door handle. Her fingers curled and Luna was amazed to see her hand grasped the image as if it protruded from the wall instead of sank flat on the canvas. A twist, a pull, and the door of blank ink swung out. _

_Luna became very still. Her eyes could not pull away from the dark slit that peeked behind the door. She was tempted to lean her head and catch a better look, but she steeled herself and waited for the door to swing full open. Once it had, her racing heart stopped. There was a black vastness of twinkling lights hiding inside. Luna had no idea that the entire night sky was tucked away in the Door. She unconsciously leaned closer, hypnotized by the lights dancing in great swirls. _

"_This is the Door?" Luna whispered. "Beautiful."_

"_No, this is not the Door." _

_Luna started, "What? I've seen you enter the Door. How is this not the Door?"_

"_This is merely the footpath, the gateway," Trista replied. She graciously directed a hand into the archway and Luna was suddenly struck by the positions of the lights. They danced so close together that the glow mingled and formed a receding line deep into the vastness like a path. "Walk across the stars and you shall meet the Door. You will not be able to enter, but the Sisters shall be there to answer all that you need."_

_Luna stepped forward. Her whiskers brushed the door's edge and she faltered. She meekly glanced up to the sleepy princess. "I have to go alone?"_

_Trista shrugged. "If you wish, I could lead you, but I do not wish to invade upon your privacy. There is no telling how much or what the Sisters will tell you."_

_Luna studied the starry sky. Its gentle sway of stars immediately calmed her uneasy spirit. They did not look dangerous. She threw back her shoulders. "I'll be fine."_

_Putting out her paw, she boldly stepped up to the edge of the doorway. She studied the starry path, watching the flowing gold. As unexpected as it was, the gold did not shake under her weight once she stepped out into the night sky. Her limbs trembled once she saw the drop into the darkness. She was no longer surrounded by stone floor, but she now stood on the edge of the plummeting depth. Her legs steadied and she anxiously peeked over the edge. _

_The splendor made her breath catch. Stars zoomed by her head, making her ears twitched from the close brush. Cosmic dust covered her black coat. She was small against the glittering canvas. Staring up at the night sky was not the least bit similar to being part of it. _

_Suddenly, there was no more fear. She felt as anxious as she had tucked away in bed. Her head lifted and she leapt down the path. Her tail whipped behind her. A comet dove down to her level and soon it was racing alongside her. Its tail was a hot white wrapped in maroon and cerulean. The color was riveting. Luna laughed and threw a little more energy into her leap. She could have jumped over the planets. _

_The comet finally ducked down below the path of stars and the darkness crept back into view. She wasn't overtaken by the light and able to see an end to the path. She slowed to a trot and soon a full halt. Her neck swiveled, searching. The stars had come to an end in the heart of the sky. All her foot had for support was empty space. Gingerly, she curled her claws over the star, felt the drop and knew it was the path's finale. Luna edged back. 'What now?'_

_She looked over her shoulder. She could no longer see the door she had entered, but she wondered if she should go back and see Trista. Maybe there was something she was supposed to do to open the way. Maybe there was a password. _

_A flicker of starlight stopped her. There was a streak of red falling from overhead. White sparks were flying off its tail, making it look like fireworks. Suddenly, the sparks were spinning together and forming it's own line of color. Then, a third line appeared: a blue-black one. Together they ripped through the sky, dancing between each other. Luna nervously crept backwards as the colorful light shifted into her direction. Her ears shrank against her skull. _

_A soundless flash burst in front of her seconds before the light crashed against the path. Luna shook off the glare in her eyes and took in the sight of three women. Their hair was long and tapered. Their hair stretched behind them in cosmic color and then went down and wrapped over their naked bodies. _

"_You came sooner than we anticipated," the woman wrapped in white said. "We took a bet and thought you would come as soon as tomorrow. We should have accounted for a person's eagerness."_

_Luna didn't know whether to take the comment as an insult or a complement. She could care less either way. She was far more curious with the women she knew to be the Three Sisters of Fate (also known as the Three Stars). As far as she knew she was only the third person to ever meet the trio (the Queen and Trista being the first two). They were quite wondrous being, shrouded in mysticism. Though a bit intimidated by them, she smiled warmly up at the goddesses. "Maybe you should have accounted a person's anxiety."_

"_Of course. We fail to measure time properly here in limbo." The Sister of Red laughed lightly. _

"_No matter. It's not important." Luna shrugged. "I hope I haven't disturbed you. I thought you couldn't leave the Door."_

_Red grinned slyly, "Oh, don't worry. We haven't left."_

_Luna's ears pricked. "What?"_

"_We haven't left. The Door is right here. This is the threshold you sit on, Lady Luna. There isn't an arch to distinguish its presence, but that is because it is not the type of Door you are accustomed." _

_White signaled to the vast dance of stars. "This is Door of Time. This is the heart of the universe."_

"_The universe?" Luna gasped, her head swiveling in every direction. "But how is this possible? The universe is so vast and I only came down a short path."_

"_Magic is an irrational thing," Black replied. "It can explain everything, but cannot be explained itself."_

"_How is this the Door of Time? I thought I would see clocks or something else? What makes it so?"_

"_Here is the heart of existence, where old magic was born. This is where the magic shattered and spread throughout the universe in the form of bright lights. Did you never hear from fortunetellers that you could read the future in the stars? They were not far from the truth. Magic, old magic, is in the stars, but it tells more than future. It tells a great deal if you can read the vastness. That's why the universe is the Door of Time. You are surrounded in magic here. You can see so much when you are wrapped in its thick blanket."_

_Luna's eyes were wide as she breathed an intangible word. To think she was on the edge of ultimate truth made her speechless. The Sister of White could plainly see her predicament and thus, took the initiative. "Are you ready to hear what we have to say, Luna?" _

_The she-cat hesitated. "Yes."_

"_Remember, dear one," The Sister of Black interceded. "We don't offer encouragement or warning. What we say is what will be, not what should or should not."_

"_I understand," Luna slowly replied. "Queen Serenity told me."_

_Black stepped forward, "Thus, we say—"_

_Sister of Red hastily grabbed her sister's arm, stopping her. "Perhaps it would be better if she saw her fate."_

_Black studied her, "She cannot read the sky."_

"_Neither could the Princess of Pluto, but we have tutored her to see what she needs. Come on, let her look. Lady Luna is connected to the moon. She will be able to read the sky."_

_Black curiously looked to the small cat. "Alright."_

_The Sisters drew back like curtains and revealed the starry backdrop. Luna's eyes were filled with stars. It tugged at her, making her lean closer. Sister of White watched how her face slowly shifted with the stars' spectacular dance. "Don't try to focus on anything in particular. Follow the flow. Let it sweep you away"_

_Luna's nodded, but never let her gaze slip from the sky. She watched a comet streak downwards. It momentarily flashed white and then spun into a spiral. A cluster of small lights followed the red tail, dancing in and out of its fiery line. It was flowing as smooth as a flock of birds or a toss of ocean wave. Chunks of the sky were swimming together as if they were being caught into nets. Suddenly a scatter of stars curled left and Luna felt her mind curl with it. Her mind was bending. There were many more colors hidden in the comet's red. "What am I supposed to see?" _

"_Can't say. The experience varies for the watcher." The woman's voice was on the other side of the sky. Luna was slipping away. Her body was light, weightless even. She couldn't feel the stars beneath her paws anymore. She was diving instead towards the comet. The fires were going to swallow her. _

_She was surprised at how calm she felt. It was easy to dismiss the experience of falling through the sky as a dream or vision, but it was hard to ignore the sound of wind whistling pass her ears and the cold air prickling her lungs. Even still she felt no distress as she plunge closer to the furnace. The flaming tongues brushed across her whiskers. _

_The colors burst inside the comet's tail and white flooded her vision. She was momentarily caught between up and down. She twisted her neck, but there was only white surrounding her. She took a deep breath. _

"_This is what will be, Luna. Don't be afraid."_

_Then, the white shattered.

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**-present-**

Luna pulled up the last few steps. Her feet slapped onto the roof and she whirled to face the battle below. Artemis assumed the same position on her right. The wind was strong even at such a distance. Luna pulled her coat together and pulled up the zipper. Her long dark hair flapped freely behind her.

Five blocks away, they could barely make out the Senshi or the Generals on the main street. The black mass swallowed most of the attention, stretching up over the skyscrapers and merging into the storm clouds. The darkness was unnerving to her. It was beyond color or shadow. It felt black. She couldn't be sure what the feeling meant, but she didn't think made the problem anymore serious.

"It looks bad." Luna jerked when her husband spoke. She repeated the line in her head and realized what he was thinking. She decided it was best not to reply. She could tell he was looking at her. "You sure about this, Luna?"

Her chest heaved. "We've been through this, Artemis."

"But this is our last chance to turn back," he burst out. "What if they need us?"

Luna closed her eyes and inhaled slowly through her nostrils. She expected this days ago. When they were coming closer to this moment, she knew he would try to stop her. He was afraid. Not about his own death or hers, but he was afraid of failing. Her plan was leading them farther from the fighting and eventually making them incapable of helping later. They had worked so hard for so long and now they wouldn't even be there for the end. Plus, their destination wouldn't help sway the fight in their favor. He was feeling useless.

Luna gradually faced her husband. His blue eyes were waiting. She could never deny him anything. Maybe that's why she told him that she would marry him. "We have to keep moving, Artemis. The longer we wait the harder our job will be. The News Station in ten more blocks."

"But what if they don't win," Artemis replied with the same old argument.

Luna spun away. She began striding for the opposite end of the roof. Luckily, Artemis had enough sense to keep following. He studied her stiff back with trepidation. She stopped at the center and rolled her shoulders. She hadn't roof hopped in weeks. "Artemis, if we don't go and talk to the News station, then winning will be meaningless. And both of us have to be there. That's what the stars told me."

He hastily jumped in front of her. "Luna, what if you're wrong? You said seeing into the Door was…complicated. Could there be another answer?"

"No," she snapped firmly. She pushed him aside and stretched her legs. As she did bends, she tugged a rubber band from her pocket. She pulled her hair back. "This is the answer. I know you want to do more. We've fought all these centuries and now we are taking a less violent approach. You're unhappy."

He scowled, "Yes. We are fighters like them. Our abilities are very different, but we are still an asset."

"We are aids, counselors, assistants!" she replied. "We have our moments of valor, but this is not it. We go back and we condemn them."

"You're not positive!"

"But going back won't ensure a win!" She whirled. "You don't know what will happen if we go back. I do. Don't doubt me now, Art. Don't doubt them. They are as strong as before. They can win this time. They weren't taken by surprised like back then. This time they are the ones charging into the lion's den."

He looked away. His white hair swept against the black sky. "I trust you, love, but I'm still worried."

Luna relaxed. "I know, but we still have to go."

Artemis glanced to her. "Well, you are the Head Advisor. You make the major decisions, but if you think you make all the decisions in our marriage you are mistaken."

Luna grinned at her husband. He always had a way of ending arguments in a very admirable way. Always civil to the end. She faced the roof's edge and set her heels. After counting to three, she lurched forward and sprinted the last eight yards. Her shoe hit the concrete edge and pushed. Her body flew upwards into an abnormally high arch. Clouds and lightning grazed her. She looked down the thirty-four-story building's walls and breathed deeply. She had jumped half a football field. Twenty-five feet passed under her with ease and she landed on the next rooftop. Unfortunately, lack of practice made her stumble and she fell. Luna picked herself up. Standing, her husband landing perfectly beside her. He was trying to hold back a laugh. She rolled her eyes and began running across for the next roof.

* * *

**-Back in the Streets-**

Ami was already halfway to Serena by the time she started calling for reinforcement. The world had blackened again from Metaria's appearance and she couldn't place the girls, but she continued to shout for them. She needed them. There was she could this alone. Sprinting across the pavement with Hotaru in tow, Ami began to spot her sisters one by one racing in Serena and hers direction. They were calling out to her, but Metaria was too loud for her to hear their words.

Serena was clutching the Crystal close to her chest, its petals twinkling with tinted light. Ami halted in front of her and grabbed Hotaru by the shoulders. She knelt and got down to eye level with her. "Hurry and hide."

Hotaru angrily shook free. "No, I'm staying. I'm not running out on my duty."

"No!" Ami said curtly. "This is no place for a child!"

"I'm a Senshi!" Hotaru shouted wildly. "I'm the Princess of Saturn!"

"You're eleven! You're sick!"

"I'm the Destroyer!" Hotaru threw out her arm. The thunder clapped so loud the ground shook. Ami warily studied the churning storm. Suddenly a curved blade, a scythe, blocked her view and her eyes unconsciously followed the elegant curve of metal. The blade was connected to a pale wooden staff with a silver crescent. The little girl brought the staff to her chest and faced the mountain of darkness. Ami slid into silence as she watched Hotaru's profile glare at their enemy. "I'm staying."

Ami's heart squeezed at the sight. There was no argument left to give to the girl. Hotaru might be only eleven-years-old, but she had already lived a full lifeline. Already her small eyes had hardened to an unreal level. She would not be moved.

The intern glanced to her princess, but the blonde shook her head. The intern's shoulders slumped. Ami would let her stay, but she would keep Hotaru behind her. She wasn't about to let a child be her shield. Clutching the girl's shoulder, Ami carefully moved Hotaru behind her.

The last of Serena's light had evaporated into the foreboding darkness of Metaria's power. Beryl stood at the heart, allowing the darkness to crawl over any visible flesh. It sunk into her pours and traveled through her blood. It was, however, the towering smoke column over her red crown that stole the attention of the two groups. It spun down from the heaven's storm and brushed in a circle at Beryl's feet. The ribbon in her hair snapped and her hair flowed freely in the bustling wind. The red bled into the black and swirled like watercolors. Soon, her entire body began to shift with the smoke as if her flesh had become pliable as vapor.

* * *

**-The Generals-**

Zoisite kept close to his prince's shoulder. Though the man had risen by his own means, Zoisite was unconvinced that his ward was entirely well. He glanced at him in the corner of his eye. Endymion ignored him. All he saw was the growing danger in front of them. It was hard to do otherwise with the way darkness, roaring, mounted. It was very similar to the scene of the Silver Millennium Kingdom's collapse.

Endymion stepped away from his general. He watched the way the smoky darkness curled around the devil woman with growing interest. Metaria was merging with Beryl. The red head was twisted up in the black essence. Her back was arched at a painful angle, but she was howling with laughter. Her eyes flashed.

Malachite broke into his thoughts. "Your orders, milord?"

Endymion nodded, "Yes, there is little time to wait, but advise me first, Malachite, so I could make an adequate assessment."

Zoisite noticed the other general shuffle. He looked uncomfortable with the request. "Would you still mark my word as wise, lord?"

The prince frowned at his general. "I would never think you would be one to come to me with your tail between your legs, Mal. I made you my head general because you were strong enough to say your mind. You would always remain calm and sharp in hard moments. Don't prove me wrong now."

"But prince, we have brought down our own kingdom by believing in our arrogance. Should you really hold our advice with any weight? We staged a war because we thought it would tear down our enemies when instead it killed our hearts."

"A great mistake, I know, but you have learned from this. You know more because of it. Besides, I am in a tight spot. I don't have time to hire new advisors."

Zoisite's eyebrows rose at the laughable comment. Malachite chiseled face cracked into the tiniest of smiles. A true feat in itself. The man rarely smiled. "Well, then, I would say our first priority is to form a barrier around Metaria and the others. Last time, many people suffered and died because of our stupidity. I'd hate to see innocent bystanders swallowed by this. Metaria leveled twenty-square miles last time."

"Good point," Endymion replied. "Our best chance would be to build the Four Corners. Take your positions and place your blades, then, we will regroup with the Senshi. Two separate groups spread thin is pointless in this setting. It would be better to aid them, seeing that they hold the trump in this fight."

Zoisite gripped the hilt of his sword. "Prince, we are short one corner. Nephrite is not with us."

"I'll find him," Jedite replied. "I have a good idea where he would be. He probably went after Lita."

"As always." Zoisite returned to his prince. "Okay, so Jed will get Nephrite, but prince we can't leave you defenseless."

"I had not planned to be left alone, Zoi. I shall stay with Malachite as he places his corner. Don't worry."

Zoisite immediately relaxed. "Okay."

"Well, come on, boys," Jed snapped, holding out his sword. "The ladies await."

* * *

**-The Girls-**

Ami shepherd Hotaru and Serena behind a garbage dumpster. The lightning was getting worse. It was striking everywhere at their feet. Unlike normal, everyday lightning, this kind was ripping up the concrete and blasted chunks of ground up into the air. Even Lita's gift didn't do that. Ami slammed her back against the dumpster and took several deep breaths. No matter how long she stood there, pressed against Hotaru and Serena, she couldn't get her nerves to calm down. "Well, Serena, are you ready to use the Crystal again?"

Serena winced, "Not really."

She gingerly peeked around Ami at the dark destruction. "You sure the Crystal can beat all that?"

"Just telling you what I heard." The intern grimaced when another streak of lightning hit a few feet away. She gripped the edge of the dumpster.

Metaria's giant red eyes swiveled and the mass of smoke formed a sort of head over Beryl. It shifted like a snake and snapped its teeth like a hungry dog. Beryl was unaware of its birth and continued to be enthralled as the smoke consumed more of her being. With each breath, Metaria swelled and soon she was stretched far enough that there was no longer a streak of blue to be found on the horizon. Metaria grinned with her razor teeth. _"The world shall end in a single breath."_

That was when hope almost vanished. From the direction of the NVerse's corporate building, a quake vibrated through the streets. The trembles traveled up the fighters' legs. Their heads turned to behold a great army of men marching toward them. Each of them was in dark swat gear and carrying automatic rifles. Luna and Artemis had warned them about the corporation's army, but it was only at that moment did Ami remember their words. Her mouth dropped. There were enough soldiers to block the road and the sidewalks in a three blocks radius. The air in her lungs vanished.

"There's too many," Ami whispered. "We can't stop them and Metaria."

She leaned back against the dumpster, blocking the view of the army, and sank onto the concrete. Her mind was horribly blank.

"Ami…Ami, what do we do?"

She shook her head. "I don't know—"

A figure ran pass, cutting her off. Strawberry blonde hair immediately caught her eye. A sword was swinging at his side and he was running in the opposite direction of the army. It could have been comical if the situation didn't appear hopeless. Instead, it was confusing. '_Zoi?'_

He abruptly stopped and brought the sword over his head with the point directed at the ground. Roaring, he stabbed the blade downwards. It sank magically into the ground to Ami's amazement.

There was second roar to her right. Over to the east, Jedite was standing over his own sword. It, too, was planted in the concrete. Ami was struck by familiarity. She had seen this before. Light glinted off the edge of the hilt and her heart skipped. Something important and rare was coming. Her eyes darted left and connected with smoldering green.

A rush of warmth followed by a flash of white overtook her. For a moment, she spun on her heels. Her head fell back and she saw pearly fibers stretching up through the air. They were exploding from the swords. As they soared upwards, Ami saw fibers building from the opposite side of the street. They were everywhere. They were climbing up together and finally crashing together over her head. It cut right through the black storm, earning a pained cry from Metaria's giant mouth. The fibers had created a sort of cocoon around her and the others. Metaria's head butted against the ceiling, but couldn't force her way. It remained undamaged.

Seeing the army, Ami began to laugh out loud. She pumped her fist into the air. The army was standing on the other side of the wall, prodding it with their fists and guns. They weren't able to get into the fortress.

Lightning striking alongside her ankle immediately ended her celebration. She threw her arms over her head as chunks of concrete sailed. She rushed back to her safety beside the dumpster. Serena stared at the cocoon walls. "Ames, what is that?"

"Don't know," Ami replied. "Looks like a sort of shield."

"Shield?"

"Ami!"

She whirled, "Zoi."

The blonde general ran to her. "Are you okay? I though you were hit."

"No! I'm fine." She glanced past his shoulder at the glowing sword in the ground. The white fibers were extended directly out of the blade like they were a tent canvas and the blade was a peg holding it down. "Zoi, what is that? What did you do?"

"Oh, don't you remember? It's called the Four Corners."

"Fours Corners?" It did sound familiar.

"We combine our magic and form a shield. It's a little tricky. We can only make one so big and we all have to use our swords to sustain the shield."

Ami stared at him in wonder. She heard Hotaru and Serena making comments about the magical spell behind her, but she didn't heed what they were saying. She was stuck on something he had said. She blinked a few times before repeating his words. "You combined your magic? That's possible?"

"Yes." Zoisite gave her an odd look. "Don't you remember, back in the Silver Kingdom, us discussing battle tactics?"

Ami thought back to those vague memories. _'Yea, now I remember. We were in a garden or maybe my personal office. He was telling me about shields. He told me the strongest way to fortified a position was to create a shield with their gifts. Each person adds to the strength of the shield. Unfortunately, the generals have a problem focusing their powers and are forced to use their swords as magnifying lenses.' _

She pushed back the lump in her throat. Her memories were rushed back into order. Her shield was the same as theirs. Her magic had been born from the Heavens, specifically the planet of Mercury. The connection to the planet had focused her gift into an invisible shield. It had been a more subconscious act versus the generals' work.

Ami gasped sharply. "That means…we could…"

She whirled, ignoring Zoisite's worried expression. She knelt down next to Hotaru and Serena. They looked to her expectantly. "Serena. Hotaru. I think I know how to beat Metaria, but I need to get the other girls."

"Okay," Serena replied. "Whatever you say, Ames. Lets go."

"No!" Ami snapped. "You've got to stay put, Serena. You're Metaria's target. I need you stay behind this dumpster and stay low."

Hotaru quickly jumped in. "Then, I'll come with you."

"You've got to protect Serena." Ami jabbed her finger in the girl's face. "It's very important you keep her safe. That is our top priority. Besides, I've got a better chance of dodging Metaria's attacks. I've been doing stuff like this for years. Well, not exactly like this…"

Hotaru glanced to the blonde princess and then, gripped her staff. "Alright."

Ami was relieved about the girl's quick agreement. Her body felt a lighter. Now, she had a plan, and a good one.

"Ames, you can't be serious," Zoisite said frantically. "In a few minutes, Beryl will have fully merged with Metaria and it will get very ugly."

Ami pushed him aside. "Not now, Zoi. I told you this is my job. You need to do yours. Where's your prince?"

He looked shamefully away. He had forgotten about his duty. _'You're always the soldier. I remember you acting the same way long ago.'_

"He's regrouping with the others at the south point," he admitted lowly. He lifted his face and watched Ami turn her back and start running. He unconsciously took a step towards her, but he quickly stopped his feet from going further. _'You promised to do your job.'_

He numbly turned his body away from her. Forcing his legs, he began to jog in the direction of his teammates. If anything, he could at least bring his team to the princess and help protect her. After all, she was the one who would determine their fates. _'Hang on, love.'_

Ami ran blindly through the darkness. She had lost herself in only a few steps. The smoke was thick as theater curtains. She could only see a few inches in front of her and she was blindly running through it. Her hair was slapping her in the eyes, but she couldn't even see the telltale blue. Any minute she would crash into someone or something.

Just thinking the idea brought a heavy crash of lightning under her feet. The concrete under her launched her body through the darkness. She screamed, but it was easily overwhelmed by the thunder. She hit the ground and rolled for several minutes. She could taste the metallic taste of blood, but when she splat it was still too dark to see any red. Her head was light and her breathing sounded odd. She tried to rise, but her body swayed and sank back down.

She breathed deeply. Maybe it would be better to lie down for a minute. Her body _had_ suffered a lot in one day. She had invaded a building of soldiers, fought against a monster dog, dealt with old memories, possessed by a monster, fought her friends and then her enemies, and spent the last of her energy using her magical gift. Her body had been stabbed, punched, kicked, and excessively tormented. She was surprised she hadn't collapsed sooner.

Ami let her eyelids close. Her inner conscience told her not to, but she ignore the tugging drowsiness. _'Only a minute. Then, I'll get up and…and…what was I doing?...I remember once I've had a short nap…so tired.'_

She slumped and leaned across the precipice. She dangled seconds before a voice cut through the fuzziness of sleep. _"You can't sleep now. Wake up."_

Ami curled away, _"Just a few minutes."_

_"You'll sleep forever if you don't get up."_

_"Forever?...sounds good. I'm so tired."_

_"No! Wake up!"_

Ami cracked her eyelids open. "Please, I'm tired."

Pluto gently slapped her cheek. "Get up, Ames. You've been so strong. Just hold out a little longer and I promise you can sleep as long as you like afterwards."

Ami groaned, "Promise?"

Pluto smiled when she saw the girl stirring. "Yes, I promise. Now up."

Ami languished on the ground a moment, still caught by sleep's spell. Pushing with everything she had, Ami brought her mind out of reach of sleep's clutches and open her eyes fully. As the blue orbs focused, she came to realize Pluto was a bit more transparent than flesh should have been. Ami lifted her head. "Pluto? Is that you?"

"Ah, you noticed. Sharp as ever. Yes, it's me, Ames. Not completely, but enough of me to wake you."

"Why do you look like a ghost? Did you die? Oh, please no!"

"Don't worry!" Pluto waved her arms, making her image go fuzzy as if she were smoke. "I'm alive. I've just been taken far away. Freezing time is a big taboo and now I'm reaping my punishment. Don't fret. I knew this would happen the moment I froze time. I was ready."

"But where did you go?" Ami insisted. The first place Ami could think Trista, especially with her appearance, would be taken away to would be the afterlife.

"I'm inside the Door of Time. I'm going to be sealed away for a few centuries as a sort of sentence."

Ami gasped sharply, "Dear god."

"Eventually, I'll be reborn, but that doesn't matter at this moment. You need to get up and hurry back to Serena."

Ami was rising when she said, "What? I have…have to get the others."

"I've already told them," Trista replied. "They didn't notice my body like you did so they followed my word expeditiously. They're almost to her and Hotaru. They're waiting only on you now."

Ami shakily stood and studied her dark surroundings. "I don't know which way."

Trista stepped beside her and gently took her hand. Her touch was odd. It sent warmth throughout her body by the faintest brush. Ami stared down at the see through hand.

"Follow me," Trista whispered, tugging her forward. Ami scrambled behind, barely able to see her friend. The movement transformed her body into gray vapors. Ami was forced to be lead like the blind.

"Trista!"

There had been no need to shout. Trista could hear her perfectly in the storm. "Yes, Ami?"

"Without you, we won't be able to complete the circle."

Ami could feel her smile. "Don't worry. I'll be there. I'll always be there."

* * *

**-Beryl & Metaria-**

Beryl was close to the end. She could feel the last line that defined the separation between her and Metaria disappearing. It was a painful process to have your body ripped apart and then eaten, but Beryl knew once it was over she would be gifted with the most wonderful euphoria. Her mind would merge with Metaria's overpowering consciousness and then, she would feel it. She would feel the wonderful sensation of dominance. She would stare down at the Earth and be able to say 'Mine.' This would be her tenth merge with the queen, but the first to voice her claim on the entire planet. Perhaps, she was sharing it with her dual personality, but she didn't care. It was enough for the moment to be able to grasp the entire planet in her hands.

Beryl arched her back. Metaria began to tug at her right arm and Beryl pulled in the opposite direction to help break the limb faster. As the flesh tore, splattering blood and tissue, Beryl laughed. It was a hollow sound. Laughing always made the process easier. Screaming only made the pain harder to endure. When laughter exploded from her, she was struck by the absurdity of the sound. Listening to the sound of her cracking voice brought a distraction from the pain. It was enough to hold her through the torment. The wilder the laugh, the better.

Beryl's eyes flashed as she near the end. She was close enough to taste Metaria. No, she was Metaria. She was the queen of the world. She held the stars in her tight fists. All that left her from the universe was those stupid girls.

* * *

**-TV Station-**

Luna pushed the slightly dented videocassette under the reporter's nose with a haughty smile. She made sure to smack the gum in her mouth extra loud. She had used one of her illusion charms to appear as a teenager while she was in the tv station, but it always help to add a little acting to her disguise. She flipped her loud _blonde _hair and repeated the question to the skeptic reporter. "How much will you give me?"

He raised a thick eyebrow. "The downtown fiasco is on this tape? How did you get it?"

"Who cares?" she whined loudly, catching the attention of the nearby cubicles. Artemis bit his tongue at the sound. She was quite an actress. She angrily swiped the tape off the desk and stomped to a small television set and VCR. Shoving the tape in, she growled, "The point is you would be the first to get footage out for the public. You would be the most viewed station. No news crew was able to get anything useful. The radio stations said so."

"Okay, girlie, but how did you get it? You don't look like a reporter."

She pressed the play button. "You won't care once you see what I got."

It was the persistence of the training within him that wanted to pursue the question. He could hardly believe this fifteen-year-old highschooler had scrambled out, what radio stations were calling, a war zone alive and with evidence of the scene. It would definitely be worth a few twenties if the tape was legit, but he was highly doubted her words. This had to be hoax. That's why he was surprised she had shoved the tape in the player. If it were a hoax, she wouldn't give it up by playing a fake tape. Thus, his eyes shifted to the monitor, confused. What was this girl playing at? There was no way she had gotten footage. Helicopters had been shot down and people had been trampled in the madness.

His thoughts stopped when he saw what was playing on the screen. He leaned eagerly in his seat, stirring up some murmurs from his fellow employees, who had been watching the exchange. "Dear god…"

* * *

**-Back on the Streets-**

Ami's leg gave out a few feet short of her goal. She sprawled on the pavement, trodden and exhausted. Zoisite hurried to her side and scooped her into his arms. Her head lolled up against his neck. Her breathing was ragged. He frantically dragged her behind the safety of the dumpster.

When they turned the corner, she counted over a dozen persons hiding behind the green box. She struggled feebly to pick up her face. The girls immediately rushed forward. "Ami!"

She shoved back his arm. "Let me down. You're scaring them."

He reluctantly let her down onto her feet. "You're scaring me."

"Whatever," she mumbled as she shakily walked to her roommates. They drew around her in a semicircle, each of them shooting out questions. Ami waved at them. "Shut up. Shut up. We don't have time."

The girls immediately grew silent. Their faces all showed shock at how forceful their shy friend was. The petite nurse took a deep breath to steady herself. "We've got one shot, girlfriends. Just one. And Serena is the one who has to take it."

They glanced to one another before nodding. Ami was slightly surprised by how easily they were taking her words. She knew they trusted her, but she was still surprised all the same.

"While Serena gets the Crystal ready, we have to make sure to keep her protect. That is our goal. We can't fight Metaria. There's no point. She's too strong. Our best chance is to make a shield to protect Serena."

"How do we do that?" Amara asked.

Ami hesitated. "We combine our gifts. We use to do that, back in the Silver Kingdom. Individually we are strong, but together we are even stronger. We can't stand alone against this type of force. We might be able to hold long enough for Serena to work her magic if we stand together."

"But how?" Rei shouted. "I don't remember how we did it."

"By the planets!" Ami replied. She swung around and began pointing. "Mina is Venus. Rei is Mars. Lita, Jupiter. Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Moon, and Mercury. Our powers are doubled when we connect with our old magic. When we connect with our planets. Remember how it feels when your powers swell. Remember how your blood races, your confidence soars. Think of your symbols. Remember who you once were."

Ami's spirit called out to her element and she instantly felt heat on her brow. She smiled excitedly. "Think about your element. Pull at it. Bring it forward."

Her symbol brightened on her forehead, drawing their eyes upward. Ami kept pushing her spirit. She could feel ice forming on her fingertips and in her hair. The girls watched a blue aura wrap around her. "Dig deep."

Slowly one by one, the girls began to glow. Their symbols resonated bright and loud on their brows. The men unconsciously stepped back as their bodies glowed even brighter. The surrounding darkness fell away as their rainbow colors melded in single white aura. The magic pressed hard against Ami's chest. There was a lot of magic pumping into the air. It was overwhelming. Ami's eyelids closed as she let it wrap around her. It felt strange to experience something so new, but yet so familiar. Ami let out a small gasp as her magic rushed out of her body and entangled with her sisters. _'This is it. This has to be it.'_

With some difficulty, Ami forced her mouth open. "Serena, hurry! Use the Crystal against Metaria!"

Serena stood in the center of the group. She was clutching the white star with shaky hands. She was worried, but the sensation of her friends' magic surrounding her was comforting. She brought her hands up and carefully parted them. The white star floated inches over her palm, rapidly swelling with inner light.

In seconds, the generals and the prince were enveloped in their magic. It felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold winter night. It felt like sunshine on a cloudy day. It was the giddiness of getting a surprise admirer. It was the sensation of a fighter's passion. It was perfection finally achieved. Not a single form could be found in the light, leaving only a small white light and a black storm in the road. Beryl shifted inside the mass, annoyed by this sudden turn. She squinted. _'I…know this.'_

The light grew. Beryl instinctively dug deeper into Metaria's body. The dark demon hissed as the light pressed against her. _"Those d— Senshi!"_

She flung her body forward, jaws gaping wide.

Then, a beautiful tinkle of a bell and the world stopped. It was not like a lengthy fight, drawn out by melodramatics. It was like most battles in war, quick and decisive.

* * *

**-Door of Time-**

_Pluto slowly rose to heavens. She could the Three Sisters waiting patiently for her return. She smiled as she drew closer to the Door. The Sister of Red quietly said, "Welcome back."_

_"It's good to be back," Trista replied. She softly stepped through the invisible archway and entered her prison. She caught their gazes watching her. "It's good because it was worth it."_

_White shook her head. "This doesn't mean Paradise will come tomorrow. There is still a chance that a new darkness will come and choke the hope we have sowed today."_

_Pluto smiled anyway. "But we cannot stand aside and do nothing. It condemns us."_

_"Perhaps, it would bring us to our fate, only quicker," Black countered. _

_"Our actions are what keep our hope alive," Pluto whispered as the Door closed behind them. 'Only time shall tell…'_

* * *

**-Back on Earth-**

Zoisite slowly opened his eyes. It had happened so fast. All of it had happened in a short blink. Metaria and Beryl had disappeared. All he could see was a tattered street covered in newly fallen snow. Sun was pouring down on him from a perfect blue sky. It could be mistaken that they had escaped, but he had felt their bodies swallowed by Serena's powers. He had sensed the Crystal ripping through them, destroying every molecule. They were dead. It was over.

The magic in the air was settling. The world felt hollow without it. He heard shifting beside him, making his head turn. The others were waking from their stupor. They looked to one another, not quite understanding how their surroundings had changed abruptly. They moved slowly, testing their aching muscles.

Serena blinked. "It's over?"

Lita lifted her face up to the sky and squinted. "I guess so."

"Woah…" Mina mumbled. "That was…woah."

Rei stumbled. Casually, she stood tall and replied, "You can say that again."

"Woah," Mina sank to her knees. Malachite stood a few feet away from her, studying her slumped figure. The blonde leaned back to stare at the handsome figure. "Hey, Mal."

"Mina," he whispered huskily. His eyes searched hers deeply. "How are you feeling?"

Her heart skipped when she heard her name on his lips. Oh, how she missed that voice. Mina's mouth fell open, ready to give a flirty response, but her growling stomach interrupted her. Malachite's hard face softened into amused smile. Blushing, she laughed nervously. "I guess you could say I was hungry."

Nephrite and Jed limped over, both of them with odd, contented smiles. Lita watched them warily. She had not forgotten her previous conversation with the man. Amara walked over to her cousin and the child clinging to violinist's waist. She pulled them into a loose hug. They shared a few quiet words, something that made the child smile wider. The conversation was a short one followed by a small giggle by the violinist. Once done, however, Amara's face turned dark. Her eyes began to rove the crowd of people around them. "Where's Trista?"

Zoisite stiffened when he suddenly realized he had momentarily forgotten about a second person. His recent joy was crushed when he could not spot her familiar blue crown. "Ami?"

Serena, who was wrapped in the prince's arms, swiveled around. Her blue eyes were very wide. She searched desperately in every direction. "Ames?"

Everyone began spinning, searching for the two and growing more afraid with each minute of empty silence. They didn't want to think about what the silence could mean.

"Over here!" Lita cried, dropping down to her knees. Zoisite froze, knowing it was not a good sign to see Lita lowering to the ground. He numbly stood, watching the group split apart long enough for him to see her body spread across the cement. She was a wreck. Her hair was tangled and matted with crusted blood. Red was smear across her body in too many places with dirt and dust mixing into the color. Her clothes were in shreds, almost indecent. In essence, her appearance held little different from five minutes ago. The only frightening change was the nonexistent of movement.

He ran to her. "Ami!"

The others fell back instantly for him. The girls were still having trouble registering that someone was lying on the ground, unmoving. They had always known this moment was always possible, but now looking down at their friend's bloody form they couldn't be sure if they had ever truly consider the reality of death. When he passed Serena, the girl jerked and followed his lead. They sank down on either side of Lita. He was on the edge of panic when the sprawled woman's eyelids shifted and a pained gasp slipped from her chapped lips. Zoisite stretched for her. "Ami!"

"Mmm…quiet," she moaned. He was surprised when she rolled away from him. Her knees jarringly curled up into her chest. "I'm sleeping."

His eyebrows shot up followed by his lips. Beside him, Serena stifled a giggle. He leaned forward and gently scooped the semi-conscious woman into his lap. She struggled at first, thinking that they were trying to wake her, but once she settled into his warm arms. She buried her face into his neck and sighed. "…tired…"

They began to laugh softly, all eyes watching the small woman's childlike actions. He kissed her temple. "Sleep, darling. You deserve it."

* * *

_**Three days later…**_

_**-National Radio Network- **_

_**"There has been no word yet from the Federal Government in response to the video regarding the incident in Iberia, Georgia, but it is obvious there is concern by the sudden traffic passing through the Pentagon and the White House. It is hoped the formal press conference, set to begin in the next few minutes, will eliminate much of the tension building across the nation. The images of the individuals on the tape are too obscured to identify. FBI has taken possession of the videotape, hoping to use special computer software to fix the video grainy images. One thing can be sure about the videotape, even without the software, it can be seen that there is a chance that there is more than the human species living on Earth. A great and frightening idea." **_

* * *

**One week later…**

Ami paced back and forth. Her hands were wringing as if she was trying to squeeze the moisture out of a damp cloth. She noticed the anxious motion and immediately yanked the hands apart. Almost immediately her left hand went up and pushed back a random lock of blue hair. She edged towards the center of the curtains. Her toes lined up against the sliver of light spilling between the break of wool red, but did not dare to enter it. She was terrified of the light. It led to the other side of the curtains where avid reporters waited. She thought of the cameras and the eyes waiting for her, and began to pace again. She whirled away from the line of light.

Her forefinger jumped into her teeth as she silently repeated her speech in her head. She counted each vital point in her speech. She recounted seven times before she could be able to breath again.

As she exhaled, she felt the people waiting on the other side exhale. Words and voices stirred behind the red wall. She jumped. It signaled the approaching end to her hiding spot. Soon the curtains would be pulled back and she would be revealed to the hungry crowd. She began wringing her hands again.

"It's not fair," Ami mumbled viciously. "I'm no good with crowds. I threw up in public speaking. Dear God, I hope I don't throw up."

She heard her name being announced. Ami's face burst into panic. Maybe she could hide. Call that number the reporter gave her and say she wouldn't be able to make the media announcement due to an emergency. Would they believe it? It didn't matter as long as she was somewhere they couldn't find her.

"Be careful, darling. You don't want to freeze their cameras."

Ami stiffened. The temperature had dropped. She cursed under her breath and pushed the temperature back to comfortable warmth. After she was satisfied with the change, she anxiously turned towards her boyfriend. "I think I've changed my mind. I don't want to do this."

Zoisite's face, which had been set in the brightest smile since Metaria had been destroyed, widened even further. "Come on now. You were so excited. Remember this is something none of the other girls can do."

Ami pushed out her lower lip. "B-But I don't mind if they do it. Maybe they could be my representation. They could say I was too traumatized to answer the reporter's questions."

"You already agreed," Zoisite chided. He gently swiveled her shoulders back in the direction of the stage. He kissed her temple. "Come on. As the Shield, it's your obligation to protect the Senshi. Besides, sooner or later the reporters would demand an interview. You were the one kidnapped, not the girls."

Ami groaned, "Serena would be so much better at this. Why didn't the NVerse kidnap her?"

"Sweetheart, I think you're losing it. Think about it. Serena would never be able to handle this. She either ramble on about her favorite dessert or she would talk about nonsense. I've never seen such horrible ADD."

The trick worked. Ami smiled at his joke and momentarily forgot about her frayed nerves. "I still remember the time the five of us went on a trip to Florida. Serena was diving and we fell asleep. We woke up and found ourselves in Alabama. She had been following an ice cream truck. She had gotten distracted by the banana split painted on the back of the vehicle."

Zoisite slapped his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. Ami smiled at him. She was happy he had decided to come wait with her. The girls had gone out into the audience with the rest of the men to watch the interview. Zoi had been volunteered to be her support as she waited. She had blushed at the knowing looks the girls had given her. Now she was glad it was Zoisite and not the girls. Each of the girls would have been ecstatic to be in front of cameras and could not relate to her anxiety.

"Ami are you ready?"Ami's stomach dropped like a stone and she slowly faced her mother. The blue haired doctor gave her an encouraging smile. "They are waiting."

"I didn't hear them call for me."

"They didn't. They sent me to be sure you were up for this. They're worried you aren't ready for such a mass of people so soon after your escape."

Ami shook her head. It had been months since she had escaped the labs. Course, the media didn't know it. "I'm okay."

Zoisite gripped her hand. She looked into his eyes, searching for his inner strength. She exhaled deeply. "Might as well get this over with."

She slipped out of his hand and stood to her full five feet four inches. She walked straight passed her mother. Her fingers pushed back the heavy curtain and she stepped into blinding flashes. The voices and noises flooded her ears and she did her best not to grimace. The podium of microphones was the first thing she saw, but she quickly registered the hundred-person crowd on the edge of the stage. Ami swallowed. Life sure sucked.

She forced her legs forward. She nodded to the man in black standing beside the podium. He conceded the stand, but she desperately wish he hadn't. She wished she were far away like the Bahamas. That would be a wonderful place to be with the girls…and Zoi. She clutched her hands together with resolve. Ami leveled her eyes with the crowd. _'Remember this is your duty.'_

Her inside voice immediately said, _'I'd rather fight the Generals, again.'_

A dozen questions were shouted out at once. The man who had previously stood at the podium signaled for silence and then, pointed to a single reporter.

"Ms. Mizuno, how are you feeling?"

Ami straightened. "Much better. Thank you."

Another reporter was indicated. "What happened while you were kidnapped?"

"I was kept in a cell most of the time. I was sedated and tortured by electrocution."

"Do you know who it was that kidnapped you?"

"They came from the NVerse Corporate building. That's all I know."

"Do you know why you were kidnapped?"

"No."

"How did you escape if you were sedated?"

"Well, those girls—"

"Did the women from the Iberia incident rescue you?"

Ami nodded, "Yes. They saved me."

"Do you know their names? Where they are from?"

"No, they never said."

"How long did you stay in their company?"

"Only a few hours."

"Ms. Mizuno, would you say that the women were human?"

Ami had been waiting for this question. She had prepared numerous answers in her head. Being finally faced with the question, she knew there was only one answer that would suffice. Ami leaned closer to the microphones. She didn't anyone to miss her answer. "I believe the woman are not completely human."

There was a roar in response. No one paid attention to the man in the black suit. They began shooting off questions.

"How do you know?"

"What did you see?

"Are they aliens?"

"Did they leave in a UFO?"

"Are they dangerous?"

Ami hastily yelled into the microphone. "They save my life."

The room went very still.

"They didn't have to save me, but they came and did." Ami's stomach tightened. "The people who kidnapped me were the dangerous ones. Those people were less human than the women who saved me. They wanted to kill me, but those women stopped them. The NVerse Corp was more than some business. It was a secret organization. They acted like a mafia, but had enough members to equal an army.

"Those women were able to do things no normal person could do. I saw them break the earth apart, wield fire like arrows, and throw down waves and lightning. They could have crushed me, but they used their…gifts to save me

"I don't think they want to hurt us. I think they're here to protect."

Ami's voice died. She thought of all the other things she wanted to say to the media. She wanted to shout out she was one of the woman. It would be easy to say she was here to protect them and would never falter in her efforts. If she were a fool, she would reveal her identity and her girlfriends. She knew entire crowd would not be won so easily. The tape Luna had brought to the television station had showed very little. The camera had not seen the end of the battle or the cruelness of the NVerse. Even without Rei's ESP, Ami could sense the people fear. They were afraid of the Senshi because it was beyond rational understanding. The people were not ready to take them in their arms. That was not today. Today she was introducing the Senshi to the Earth.

The rebirth of a lost kingdom could not be completed in a single day. The foundations must be laid. The people would first need to accept an unknown queen. The countries would have to join together. A single monarchy would then rally to lead them. All of which would take years to mold and create. One day the Senshi would be able to walk down the street without a need for secrets and masks. But not today. Today the world wasn't ready.

Ami knew this better than any of the girls. Thus, she would shield the girls with her lies. She would pretend to be ignorant to the public. When the years progressed and the media would try to tear down their reputation (like media loves to do), she would stand and remind the people of the day she was saved and a city was spared. She would become the unaffiliated spokesman for the Senshi. She would be the person the people would look to with concerns. The people wouldn't be able to talk with the Senshi, but she would speak for them.

As the lights continued to blind her, Ami was struck with how perfect the plan was for the kingdom. It had fallen into the right places. She felt no regret with Serena having the role as the Moon Princess. She was relieved.

* * *

**-Three Months Later at the Local Coffee Shop-**

The aroma of coffee swimming through the air was relaxing as ever. Unfortunately, his sighing was putting her teeth on edge. She was trying to read her book. She had told him she was desperate for some quiet time. The house had been buzzing for weeks with news crew and now when they had finally grown bored of her, the men had flooded her home. Now she couldn't walk in without the house being taken over by newly made couples. It was a large house, but it had thin walls. Laughter, kissing, fighting, all of it was loud enough to irk her solitude. She was working hard to catch up with her lost semester, but she couldn't keep her thoughts straight, especially with her new boyfriend hovering around her.

Ami repeated the sentence she was reading for the fifth time. It was beginning to sink into her brain. The story was ending with the fairy tale happily ever after. The princess became queen with her subjects at her side. The Earth and Heavens had become a singe entity and the lords and ladies had—

_Sigh._

Ami gritted her teeth and counted backwards from a hundred.

"I'm bored."

She tried to keep from reaching over and yanking out his beautiful hair. She would hate to mar the feature she loved most. It was so unfair that a man should have such perfect hair. Thus, she gripped her book and calmly stated, "I told you I would be reading. You should have brought your own book."

He rolled his eyes and leaned over her shoulder. He dropped his chin onto her shoulder. She could feel his warm breath brushing against her cheek. Even though they had been dating for over three months since they return back to normal life, he could always pull a blush out of her pale skin. "You're too distracting for me to get any reading done."

_'Ironic that you're doing the same thing except in a more irritating fashion.'_

"Besides I've been reading for hours."

"When? You've been with me every free moment and haven't seen one book."

Zoisite brushed his nose along her collarbone. "I don't _want_ to read, Ames."

She understood that tone. It brought a darker blush to her face. She shook him off and snapped the spine of her book a little sharp. "Well, I do. I want to finish this."

He groaned, dropping against the back of his chair and away from his very tempting girlfriend. He eyed her tense profile. "It's a children's book. Does it really take you three hours to interpret a children's story?"

"I can't get over how exact this book is," she replied curtly. "The author knew everything about our lives. Everything to last detail. It's too weird."

Something fluttered up her thigh and Ami jumped in her seat with a squeak. She glared furiously at the man grinning beside her. Pushing his dancing fingers off her leg, she growled, "Zoi, quit it."

"But Ames," he whined in his perfect two-year-old-child voice.

"Shush," she hissed, scanning the small coffee place to make sure no one was watching. She saw a pair of girls giggling and sharing knowing looks. Ami felt a sudden urge to crawl under a rock. She sank deep into her seat, wishing the book were big enough to hide her completely.

"But just think Ames," Zoisite was still talking. "Serena had to go to work at three. Lita had to be at her night class five minutes ago. Mina went to the movies with Malachite for some serious tongue fighting and Jed is surprising Rei by cooking for her at our apartment."

Ami peeked from behind her book. "Yea, so what?"

Zoisite dropped his head forward. He couldn't believe he was dating the most brilliant woman and most dense woman at the same time. If she didn't understand his train of thought soon enough, he was going to throw her over his shoulder and give her a visual explanation. Course, he would definitely be in the doghouse if he pulled such a stunt with her. Ami was easily embarrassed.

"What I'm saying is that the large, busy house of yours is very, _very_ empty right now for the first time in three months," Zoisite grounded out. He shoved his nose straight into her bright red face and grinned. "Get the picture."

Ami's mouth flapped open and closed. "Y-Your not s-suggesting—"

_Oops._ He forgot how skittish she could be. Behind that passionate kisser, there was still a shy, conservative girl hiding in a mouse cap. Zoisite edged his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. She smelled like rain today. Not his particular favorite aroma, but it reminded him so much of her element that the scent brought an emotional stir. Such a stir that he had to will his mind back to the conversation. He saw her panicked expression once again, and immediately, the warm stir became lukewarm. "Ames, I'm not suggesting we…do _that._"

_Not yet, anyway._ He inwardly added.

Ami's cheeks paled back to a normal hue and she released a great sigh of relief. She wasn't completely against the idea, but she had already voiced her need to keep their relationship…um…traditional.

"But…" He began again. He leaned forward and brushed his nose against hers. "There's nothing against reacquainting myself to your lips."

Ami jumped backwards and tipped her chair dangerously onto two legs. Zoisite hurried to grab her seat and pull her back into place. He accidentally pulled too hard and she jostled forward into his lap. Squealing, she scrambled back into her proper seat. Zoisite bit his lip to keep from laughing. She was so funny sometimes.

She straightened her back and glared at him in the corner of her eye as she reached for her book. He was hopelessly frustrating. She was trying to be productive and his brain had returned to corning her in some dark corner. Sure, she didn't hate the idea, but if it was all they did than how deep was their relationship. The thought of their love being a shallow pool made her uneasy. She kept thinking back to their past lives and how easily their love had been broken. She didn't want a repeat.

She pressed her fingers into her temple and groaned, "Zoi, I want to read."

Zoisite caught the tone. It was her way of saying _'there is no discussion about this.'_ He was a little worried by the tone. Something was bothering her. He gingerly slipped his arm back over her shoulders. He was careful to show that he wasn't playing anymore. He was concerned. "What is it, darling?"

Ami clenched her hand. "Nothing."

The word had leapt out on her on, the instinctive defense to keep her emotions at bay. She was still having trouble opening up to him, regardless of their three months of serious relationship time.

"Now, now, Mouse. You know you can't use that for an answer." Luckily, he knew her well enough to not leave her alone. No matter how frustrated she got with him.

She grumbled lightly. _'How is it that I'm dating a man who actually wants to talk about emotions when I'm the woman who doesn't want to? How messed up of a scenario is this?'_

"Ames?"

"I'm a little worried we're spending too much time getting our lips reacquainted," she admitted quietly. "Most of our free time is you chasing me."

"And you think I don't spend enough time getting to know you." She was genuinely surprised by how quick he was to catch her meaning. She turned. "Ames, I know you better than most people. I know all your secrets."

That was true. He did know her double life. He knew her past life.

"But those aren't important," Ames countered. "They say what I am, not who I am."

Zoi rolled his eyes. "Come on, Ames. I know more than that."

Ames gave him a pointed look. _'Then, prove it.'_

He stared at her for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he replied, "You're a beautiful, intelligent woman who constantly beats herself up. You're not very confident about yourself, but when there's a challenge you rise up and meet it. You're shy. You're logical. You're a perfectionist to the tiniest detail. You're loyal. You're a lion locked away in a cage, begging for freedom, but scared of the wild. Most importantly, you're too good for me."

Ami blinked. Twice. She hadn't expected that at all. That was quite a lot to take it.

"I…I…"

Zoisite curled his arm tighter around her. "I might not deserve you, but I'm definitely not letting go because of my doubts."

Ami started. "You deserve me. You deserve anyone. You're a good man."

"I'm selfish," his voice was weak. "Possessive, temperamental, forceful, manipulative—"

"Stop talking about your past self," Ami interrupted curtly. She glared at him, angry that he had slipped back into their old argument. "That's not the man who's here now. You're not that man and I'm not that woman. We are not prince or princess. We are a nurse and archeologist. We are Zoi and Ames."

"It's hard to think that way," he breathed. He grew lost in her deep, blue eyes. "Especially, when I think about how I found you. If we hadn't known each other before than we would never have met."

It hurt when he said it. She didn't like the idea of never meeting him. He had changed so much inside her in such a short amount of time. He said she lacked confidence, but not he was around. He was always pushing her, encouraging her. She had becoming stronger because of him.

"You don't know that." She murmured as she grabbed his hand. It was so warm. She thought she loved the cold, but she was beginning to want the heat. It melted everything inside her. "Besides, we did meet and that is the way it is. Live in what ifs and you will never be able to live in the true reality."

"It's hard to forget," Zoi admitted. "The memories are coming back. Each time a new image comes I get distracted. I lose sight of the present. I begin to remember…"

'_What happened to us?' _She finished his unsaid sentence. She knew what he meant. Though the days had grown quiet with Metaria's death, Ami and Zoi's relationship had become blurred. The last memories of the throne room kept reappearing in their thoughts. Both were uncertain with what had happened between them to bring about such tragedy. Ami had decided to live ignorant, fearful of the answer. Zoi was curious and riddled with guilt. He was having trouble shaking away the image of plunging the knife into her chest.

Yet, they still did not know the full story of his and the princes' betrayal. They knew Beryl had manipulated them, but that was vague footnote. There was more hidden in their heads.

Ami saw his eyes had grown distant once again. He was still thinking about that horrible day, watching her die for the millionth time. It bothered her. He thought too much on that memory.

Her mood switched gears quickly and she slapped the book closed. The sound woke him from his thoughts and he turned to see her staring at him. He blinked. "What?"

She smiled warmly. Her eyes filled with promise. "Come on. Let's get out of this crowded coffee house."

He was still a little confused. He glanced around the room, noting only the storekeeper and a young girl studying in the back corner. "It's actually kind of empty."

Ami giggled. She swung her book under her arm and grabbed his hand as she stood. He remained seated, looking at her in confusion. She leaned towards his ears. "It's crowded compared to the house."

His eyes widened exactly how she wanted. In seconds, his brain caught up and he was out of the chair. Laughing, she let him take the lead and pull her to the door. Stepping outside, they were met with unexpected downpour. Ami squeaked as the water hit her and slipped down the back of her neck into her shirt. Zoisite pulled his jacket over his head and pressed against her side to spare her from the rain. They were pressed tight, but the rain caught their backs and the bottom of their jeans. It was cold for April. The rain was like ice running down their skin. Ami shivered in delight. The feel of her body tucked up in his warm body heat with the rain surrounding her was a delicious feeling. Oh, if she could have this everyday she would be in paradise.

Together, laughing, they ran for the bus stop. It was hard to keep the jacket over their head and run hip to hip. Ami couldn't be sure if the jacket was helping any. She was completely soaked through be the time they reached the cover of the bus stop. Ami couldn't hold back the smile as she swung around the pole and under the overhang.

Zoisite was also smiling. The image of her wet face, shining up at him made his heart catch in his throat. Unconsciously, he lifted her chin. She didn't flinch as he swooped down and kissed her soft lips. Coffee mingled together with rain. It was an odd mixture, but not the least bit unsatisfying. He pressed harder against her lips.

The bus's doors groaned behind them. Zoisite regretfully unhinged from his beloved and allowed the cold seeped between their bodies. His heart ached from the separation. He wanted to cling to her, to never let go. '_Stupid world. Can't it just stop for a minute?'_

He tugged her through the sliding doors. The bell rang as he deposited the necessary fee into the machine. The bus was nearly empty with only a few people dotting the maroon seats. He instinctively went for the empty back row, desperate to regain privacy. Their clothes squished against the plastic seats. Ami's face was flushed by the sudden wave of heat of the vehicle. He loved the way the rose danced across her face. It brought the sparkle in her eyes to shine brighter.

"You know what weird, Zoi?" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"It feels surreal to ride the bus, again." Her voice lowered, allowing only him to hear her next sentence. "Weeks ago I was bloody and facing a thousand year old demon. I've rode the bus several times since then, but it still feels weird."

He nodded, "I know. I keep thinking there's something else I should be doing, like I'm being irresponsible."

"I thinks it because of our memories. We were always so busy in the past. Our schedules were heavy. I had training, regular meetings to attend, treaties and books to read, keep up with the cultures of a dozen planets, and always having an eye on Serena. I was exhausted all the time."

"Ditto. Here everything is so much more relaxed. There is so much free time."

"Yea. We do have school. Well some of us. I bet it's boring not working on an excavation site."

Zoi shrugged, "Sometimes, but then I pick up that journal you've been writing. The one with the old kingdoms' histories. It's fascinating how much you remember about the other planets."

"I'm scared I'll forget, again. That's why I started writing it. The smallest detail seems important. I actually started drawing small diagrams yesterday of the castle flower gardens."

He chuckled, "You're mind has no end, Ames. I can't see how you keep up with your studies on top of all those memories."

Ames grinned bashfully, "It's very trying. It's hard to find an escape with everything I do. Even sleeping is a challenge, since my memories follow me there. I was dreaming about walking the rose gardens last night."

"I completely understand," he mumbled, checking for their stop. "I keep dreaming about defense patterns. I woke up this morning and Jed said I was talking in my sleep. Said something about protecting the east border."

"Strange to have memories of two lives, but having only lived one," Ami commented. She tilted her head in thought. "I mean, I lived that other life, but I don't feel like that part is me at all."

Zoi frowned, "I don't get what you mean. It's all so vivid in my head. I cannot separate the two lives. Sometimes, I feel like this life is so fake. Especially when it feels surreal like right now."

Ami's eyes flickered. "You're thinking about it, again. Aren't you?"

Zoisite looked away.

Ami's heart squeezed. "Zoi, please stop. I wish you wouldn't think about it."

"It's hard." He whispered. His voice was anguished.

Ami clutched his hand. "You're not that man, Zoisite. Not anymore."

"But I was," he gasped, almost sobbed. It was painful to remember how easily the blade slid in between her ribs, stabbed her heart. He could recall the thrill of success as her body hit the floor. It sickened him.

"Zoisite Greene, you idiot." He recoiled. She had never said anything like that to him. He was surprised by her tone. She glared at him with such fury, he was suddenly afraid. She might be a small woman, but she packed a great deal of power. "If you don't get over this, I'm going to break up with you."

His mind screeched to a halt. "W-What?"

Ami pointed a finger under his nose. "Get this straight. I've forgiven you for the past, Zoi. Which isn't hard because you are not the man from those times. You are someone else completely."

Zoisite dropped his eyes, infuriating her. "I'm sorry, Ames, but I can't see it that way. I keep seeing the parallels in the two timelines. I keep thinking this is a repeat of our past. What if I betray you again? I keep thinking I'm going to hurt you?"

"How can you see this as a repeat of our past?" she was aghast. "Everything is so different. Metaria's dead, we're all alive, and we're trying to survive school, not international delegations."

He wanted to believe her. He wanted to think this life was his to live, but it was hard to ignore that feeling in the back of his skull. He had this feeling something would happen and he wouldn't be able to stop it. He wasn't sure what it was or if it was necessary for him to stop it, but the urge was there nonetheless. Everything was perfect for the moment, but Paradise wasn't here yet. The times were still threatened.

_'What if I don't prove to be strong enough in the end? What if I'm not string enough for her?'_ he winced. He could see himself killing her all over again except with a more modern setting. Maybe he would use a gun instead of a dagger next time around. "Ames, what if—"

"Shut up." Her growl was soft, but insistent. With a huff, he jumped from her seat and hit the bell for their stop. Zoi remained seated, surprised by her outburst. Her back was to him and her shoulders were stiff, a clear indication that she was ready to yell at him, but was holding off because of the people on the bus.

The bus doors opened and she leapt from the vehicle. Zoisite nearly missed his exit because he was wondering how deep a hole he had dug. He narrowly escaped the sliding doors clamping down on his shirttail. Once out back in the rain, Ami whirled and resumed the heated _discussion_. "Would you stop already with this nonsense? We've been over this a hundred times since we've gotten back. I'm sick of talking about this, especially when neither of us is going to believe the other's theory."

Zoi shuffled. He wasn't ready to let go of it. She needed to understand that there was a possibility that he and the other generals would one day betray them. She was a Senshi. She needed to protect her princess and regain her lost kingdom—

"Stop it, Zoi!"

He jumped.

"Stop thinking about it. I can see your not listening to me." Her hands were clenched at her side. It looked like she was trying to hold herself back from throttling him. "Can't you see how different you are? Can't you see how much more compassion you have me than back then?

"Now, you have so much more honesty. You've never once tried to manipulate the girls or me. You spend all your time worrying about the Senshi instead of the Generals. It's never about you. Can't you see the change? Can't you see why I'm not afraid? You could never hurt me."

Her hands had swooped up around his cheeks. They were hot compared to the cold rain. There was so much sadness in her eyes. Not out of worry for her, but for him. All for him. His heart was cracking from the sight. "Ames, I wish you wouldn't do this. I'm not perfect. I'm going to screw up. The more you trust me, the worst it will feel when I hurt you."

Her eyes became fierce. "So what? I'll deal with it. I'm sure we'll fight. We'll have our days, but I honestly, whole-heartedly believe you will never hurt me. Not in the physical sense. I'm not going to live in fear of you. I've spent my whole life afraid. Instead of dealing with my problems, I've run. You can't run away. Pain finds you eventually in some form or fashion."

She thought of Greg. "I fell in love once with Greg. I was wrapped so tight around him that I was no longer afraid of life. I was happy. Maybe he did break my heart and hurt beyond measure, but before that time, I was living instead of hiding. It was the happiest I ever was."

She took a deep breath. "You have the power to hurt me. Yes, I know. I also know I can't stop you from hurting me. But I would rather live life trusting you than instead of living in fear and loneliness.

"I've been alone for a long time. I thought if I was alone I could control the feelings I felt. I thought I could escape the hurt, but no one can do that. Hiding makes you lonely. You live thinking no one cares enough about you. The pain comes one way or another. There will always be pain. It's a fact of life." Her hands slowly fell from his face. Her eyes had grown dim. "You don't want to hurt me, Zoi, but you're hurting me now by saying this. Are you really going to leave?"

His large hands cupped her cheeks, swallowing her face.

"No. No." He said feverishly. "I-I—"

"You sound like you're too scared to stay with me."

"I'm scared for you. I don't think you know what you're getting into to with me. I want you to understand."

"Then, enough. Enough." She spoke smartly. She curled deeper into his warmth. Tears clung to her eyelashes. "Please, stop talking about this. I c-can't stand it."

"But Ami—"

"I know. I know you can hurt me. I know there are no promises. No guarantees. I'll risk it." She couldn't let him go. There was already too much pain racing through her chest at the very thought of separating herself from him. How she had fused to him she didn't know, but she knew it was deep and lasting. It wasn't the same feeling with Greg. He had been a life raft and when she had lost her grip on him. It had been terror that had consumed her. Heartache was an underlying ache. She had been afraid of returning to loneliness, not of losing the person. Leaving Zoi was about him, not the loneliness. She had lived in solitude. She knew she could survive it. Living without Zoi was beyond her.

'_It happened so fast.'_ She wondered ruefully. _'I didn't think I could fall this quick.'_

It didn't compare to the speed between Darien and Serena. It took them seconds versus her months. Amazing, challenging months.

She swallowed with difficulty. "My question, Zoi, is can you be with me and not feel guiltily doing it?"

A vein jumped in his jaw. She was sad to see it. "I can't watch you beating yourself up all the time. Please."

Zoisite closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His hands settled on her lower back. She could feel his breath on her cheek seconds before he kissed it. "It will take some time."

"If you will try to change, then I can wait." Ami pulled back with a watery smile. As she pulled away, he was pulled with her. He didn't want to break the warmth they had found in the cold rain. He held the tips of her fingers in a loose hold as she slowly guided him down the sidewalk. Her face swung around and through the veil of rain, she flashed a brilliant smile, void of all the tears and worries they had felt moments ago. "Come on."

The house came into view in minutes. They ran the last stretch, hand in hand. Ami stumbled up the slick steps. She laughed when Zoisite nearly fell on his face. He pushed her in retaliation. Together they crashed into the front door, wet and laughing. It astonished her how easy the laughter exploded from their lips when they were together.

Ami unlocked the door and danced inside. She was still laughing so it took a few minutes to hear the voices in the other room. Ami dropped the library book and her bag by the door and noticed the two pairs of wet shoes. She stopped and stared. "Wait a minute."

"What?"

She heard a laugh in the other room. "I thought you said the house was empty."

She followed the sound of laughter with Zoi right behind her. Together they entered the living room and found Lita and Nephrite in a rather intimate position on the couch. Lita's eyes grew when she spotted her roommate. "Ames!"

Nephrite pulled his hand away from the remote Lita was holding over her head and turned. Seeing the new arrivals, he casually rolled off his girlfriend and slid to a respectfully distance on the other end of the couch. When his friend gave him a look, the man shrugged, "I wanted the remote."

Zoi laughed softly.

"Lita, I thought you had class," Ami asked.

"It's his fault," the girl kicked her boyfriend in his ribs. Nephrite groaned and playfully swatted at her foot. "I was heading to class and he abducted me. Made me come back here to watch a movie."

The front door abruptly opened a several voices rolled into the living room. Ami frowned when she saw Mina, Rei, Jed, and Mal all walk in together. They seemed to be arguing.

"—last time for three hours!"

"I still say we flip for it."

"What good is that? How can I trust you won't _influence_ the way the coin drops, Mina?"

"Zoisite? Ami?"

The small group froze in the doorway, evidently surprised by the presence of an audience. Ami's mood was beginning to do a nosedive. Wasn't the house supposed to be empty? "What are you doing here?"

"Us?" Mina exclaimed, yanking off her bright yellow raincoat. "Ami, I thought you went to the coffee house."

"Well, I…" Ami suddenly understood. Everyone had had the same idea. The house had been empty so lets exploit it. Ami rubbed her eyes wearily. "…great—"

The door opened again and everybody could instantly make out Serena's high-pitched squeal. Ami recoiled when she saw the blonde clutching her boyfriend's arm with the same expression everyone else wore. Ami couldn't believe her luck. The house was full, again.

"Hey, what's everyone doing here?" Serena cried.

Ami's shoulders drooped. "Enjoying each other's company."

Everyone began talking at once.

"You had the living room last time!"

"I was interrupted!"

"I say we draw straws."

"Hey, I gave my shift away so we could spend time together. How about we have the room first?"

"How about we skip you and we get it? We were suppose to be having a dinner date, but Jed burnt the lamb chops!"

"More like you up the heat on the oven, Rei!"

"Next, time don't kiss me and cook at the same time!"

"Hey, we were here first!"

"So!" All the other girls cried at the same time.

Ami smiled. Regardless of the huge argument, Ami loved how the room was full of people. This was what she had risked her life for months ago. This is what she wanted. An added bonus was the men entering all their lives. She still couldn't believe how easily the guys had molded to their lifestyle. It was hard to remember a time when they hadn't been there. In three months, they had fused so completely into their world that the house seemed very empty without a boy hanging around.

Ami leaned over to Zoi and grabbed his hand. He smiled down at her also feeling mutual about the swarm of people. As another loner of society, he couldn't believe how much enjoy the company of a crowd.

Ami tugged him closer. She definitely enjoyed the company, but not today. She had other plans. "If you promise to behave, we can go to my room."

His eyes brightened. He understood her train of thought. He was glad she had calm down from her response in the coffee shop. "I'm a saint."

She rolled her eyes, but gently tugged him towards the hall. No one even noticed them exiting the loud discussion. Ami muffled a giggle.

"I did not!"

"I remember it perfectly, Lita!"

"Well, I think you got a memory defect!"

Yep, it wasn't paradise, but it was a good substitute for the moment.

* * *

_**A/N: *Blink, blink* **_

_**Friend: "It's over?" **_

**_Angelwings1_**: _**"Yep, that's the end."**_

_**Friend: "But...but I didn't get enough Zoi & Ami!"**_

_**Angelwinds1: "Well, sorry, but too much Zoi/Ami time takes away from the plot. It was already thirty pages long besides."**_

_**Friend: Can't we get an epilogue or something? Maybe a one shot? Them fighting crime?**_

_**Angelwings1: ....I don't know. I was hoping to let this just end. I don't want to start a sequel. **_

_**Friend: No! No! Just a one shot! One chapter! PLEASE!**_

_**Angelwings1: ...Maybe. **_

_**Friend: *SCREAMS* Come on! Tell her you want a one shot! Or a sequel! I want more!**_

_**Angelwings1: You're so stupid, J---! LOL...Anyways, please review. I want to hear your thoughts about this chapter. I know its a bit awkward at a few parts, but man this was hard to get out with everything going on these last two months. I actually didn't write anything for two weeks. Woosh.  
**_


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